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Iraq criticises UN resolution limiting imports of goods
Baghdad, Jan 02: Iraq severely criticised the UN Security Council today for adopting a US-backed resolution that tightens controls on imports to Iraq, saying that the measure would inflict `deliberate damage and harm to our people.`
Baghdad, Jan 02: Iraq severely criticised the UN Security Council today for adopting a US-backed resolution that tightens controls on imports to Iraq, saying that the measure would inflict "deliberate damage and harm to our people.”
The resolution, passed on Monday by a 13-0 vote with Russia and Syria abstaining, puts new limits on purchases of certain communications equipment and antibiotics which the United States and Britain said that could be used by the Iraqi military in a war. UN arms experts have been in the country for more than a month inspecting sites to determine whether Iraq still has chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. Inspection officials have said Iraq's report on its weapons programmes was not yet complete, and the United States has accused Saddam's regime of continuing to hide banned weapons.
Iraq's criticism of the Security Council resolution came in editorials in the state-run press which is regularly used to express the government's views. The daily al-Jumhuriya said the resolution, which deals with goods Iraq can import under the UN oil for food programme, is new evidence of Washington's "hegemony" over the Security Council. Iraq's deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz accused the United States today of going ahead plans for war without awaiting the weapons inspectors' report on their findings.
"Despite the presence of the inspectors, US aircraft carriers are heading to the region and US and British soldiers are arriving and making preparations," he told a visiting Spanish delegation.
Bureau Report
The resolution, passed on Monday by a 13-0 vote with Russia and Syria abstaining, puts new limits on purchases of certain communications equipment and antibiotics which the United States and Britain said that could be used by the Iraqi military in a war. UN arms experts have been in the country for more than a month inspecting sites to determine whether Iraq still has chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. Inspection officials have said Iraq's report on its weapons programmes was not yet complete, and the United States has accused Saddam's regime of continuing to hide banned weapons.
Iraq's criticism of the Security Council resolution came in editorials in the state-run press which is regularly used to express the government's views. The daily al-Jumhuriya said the resolution, which deals with goods Iraq can import under the UN oil for food programme, is new evidence of Washington's "hegemony" over the Security Council. Iraq's deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz accused the United States today of going ahead plans for war without awaiting the weapons inspectors' report on their findings.
"Despite the presence of the inspectors, US aircraft carriers are heading to the region and US and British soldiers are arriving and making preparations," he told a visiting Spanish delegation.
Bureau Report