Iraq Hasn't Shifted, Says Australian FM

CNSNews ^ | 9/16/02 | Patrick Goodenough

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Forty minutes of talks with his Iraqi counterpart left Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer with the impression that Iraq is unwilling to allow U.N. inspectors free access to suspected weapons of mass destruction sites.

Downer, who has voiced strong support for U.S.-led military action against Baghdad, met Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri Sunday at the Iraqi's request. Both are in New York for the U.N. General Assembly session.

He said afterwards that while Sabri had repeated "well-known positions," including a stated willingness for the inspectors to return, it appeared Baghdad had not changed its stance in any significant way.

"It seemed unclear that he would allow the inspectors to return in an unfettered way in order to do their job; and secondly, there would clearly be a number of conditions the Iraqis would wish to attach to the inspectors returning."

Downer told journalists he had made it clear that Australia expected Iraq to comply unconditionally with U.N. resolutions, opening the door to a return of the inspectors kicked out in the late 1990s.

"I told the Iraqi foreign minister ... that those inspectors should have access to any sites that they wish to have access to ... to establish weapons of mass destruction capability in Iraq, if those capabilities existed, and if they existed, for those capabilities to be destroyed."

Downer told Sabri this was the best hope Iraq had of averting a greater crisis involving the U.S. and the international community.

He said Japanese officials had in a separate meeting with Sabri also put "clear positions on the table."

Prime Minister John Howard's government has, after Britain, arguably been the most supportive of the need for a military campaign to force Iraq to comply with the resolutions.

Not only have ministers voiced in principle support for U.S. action, but the possibility of Australia contributing combat forces and equipment - as it is doing in Afghanistan - has not been ruled out.

Strongly worded statements about Iraq by Downer and other members of the cabinet so upset Baghdad that Iraqi officials threatened last July to halve or cut completely the importation of Australian wheat.

Iraq is one of Australia's leading wheat customers, and the threats alarmed the grain industry and groups representing farmers already hard-hit by drought.

But Downer told Australian radio Sabri had not tried to use the wheat issue for leverage during their meeting Sunday - "in fact the word 'wheat' wasn't mentioned in the discussions."

The official opposition Labor Party has criticized Downer and some of his colleagues for their comments about Iraq, and successfully pressured Howard to agree to a debate in parliament on the Iraq crisis.

On his return from the U.S., Downer later this week will brief lawmakers, who will then debate the issue.

Although the opposition called for the debate, it is unhappy that Downer will focus on Iraq's non-compliance rather than provide clear evidence that Saddam poses an immediate threat.

In a new opinion poll, nearly half of Australians surveyed said they opposed a U.S.-led attack against Iraq, while three out of four respondents don't approve of sending Australian troops to participate.

Labor leader Simon Crean said the results proved that the government had not "made the case" sufficiently well for a strike against Saddam Hussein.

Secretary of State Colin Powell at the weekend reiterated President Bush's preparedness to act alone against Iraq if the U.N. failed to force an end to its recalcitrance.