Saddam Says Iraq's Domestic, International Situation ImprovingIraqi President Saddam Hussein said on Thursday that his country's domestic and international situation is improving."Iraq's relations with Arab and other countries are improving," Saddam said during a meeting with Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia, the official INA news agency reported. Iraq not only is an oil-rich country, but also has "high aspirations" in such fields as industry and agriculture, Saddam said. Despite international sanctions, "Iraqi people are in high spirit" and the number of Iraqi scientists is increasing in various fields, he added. Yahia said that Tunisia is ready to promote relations with Iraq, and has been working for the lifting of the 11-year-old economic sanctions, imposed on Iraq by the United Nations Security Council after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990. During the meeting, Yahia also conveyed an oral message to Saddam from Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali about bilateral ties and issues of common concern, INA said. Iraq and Tunisia have signed a free trade agreement. |
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