Iraqi Oil Minister Condemns "Smart Sanctions"

Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Rasheed condemned the U.S.-advocated "smart sanctions" against Iraq as " poisonous and irreparable," reported Turkish Daily News on Saturday.

Rasheed made the remarks in an interview with the Turkish English newspaper when he was in Ankara to attend the 13th Turkey- Iraq Joint Economic Commission on July 24-27. The full text of the interview was published in the paper on Saturday.

Rasheed said although the draft resolution of "smart sanctions" failed in the U.N. Security Council, the British and Americans will not give up. "I am sure that they will continue to modify the draft resolution, but international public opinion has been so clear that this is an imperialistic offer which also threatens the sovereignty of Iraq's neighboring countries."

Referring to the U.S. claim that Iraq continues developing weapons of mass destruction, the minister said that it is "a big lie," noting that even the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is aware that Iraq had dismantled all weapons of mass destruction.

He said that the issue is being used as a political plot against Iraq and the U.S. use such things also to "mislead and to confuse international public opinion."

"The U.S. does not like to see a strong government not only in Iraq, but also in Turkey, " he said. "A strong government in any country, even in Europe, will care for the interests of their people and will plan to improve ties with neighbors, and this is contrary to American interests," he added.

Rasheed said that Iraq has a nationalistic leadership, which constitutes an example for the regional countries and for this reason the U.S. sees Iraq as a threat.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/