BAGHDAD, January 17: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein today threatened to stop all cooperation with the United Nations arms inspection teams unless seven-year-old sanctions on Iraq were quickly lifted."If the UN Security Council does not carry out its commitments towards Iraq...Iraq will firmly support the recommendations of the National Assembly," Saddam warned in a televised address to mark the seventh anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait.
Saddam also warned of a possible six-month deadline for the UNSCOM, charged with dismantling of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, to complete its work or quit, raising the spectre of fresh showdown with the US.
The Iraqi Parliament had called upon the UNSCOM in a resolution on November 27 to wind up its work in the country within six months.
Scoffing at US threats of a possible air strike against Baghdad to force it to acquiesce to UN demands, Saddam said Iraq can handle any threat from Washington, which has stuck to its stand that Baghdad must comply
with all UN resolutions for sanctions to be lifted.
"The United States should have no illusion that it will be able to defeat Iraq...Iraq is not afraid of US, no matter what damage it can cause," said Saddam, attired in his trademark Baath Party uniform.
Meanwhile, reports from United Nations quoting a top UN official said the former American Marine Captain Scott Ritter, whom Baghdad has accused of being a spy, will continue to work for the Commission overseeing Iraqi disarmament.
Talking to newsmen, Deputy Chairman of the UNSCOM Charles Duelfer said what Iraqis had objected to was the composition of the team he was heading.
"We fully intend to continue these types of investigations and we fully intend to continue using Scott Ritter," said Deulfer, himself an American.
He was apparently trying to differentiate between media and official accusations. Officially, Iraq has never accused Ritter of being a spy. Ritter was asked to return to the headquarters at New York, a day ahead of the schedule, afterBaghdad barred his team from inspecting a site, arguing that it was heavily tilted in favour of Americans and demanded its recomposition.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
