UN Chief Still Pushing Iraq to Allow Weapons Inspections

CNSNews ^ | 3/25/02 | Jim Burns

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will try again to convince Iraq to admit U.N. weapons inspectors amid growing speculation that the United States is planning to invade the nation ruled by Saddam Hussein. But the leading opposition group to Saddam's regime believes Annan is wasting his time.

United Nations spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan will meet with Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri April 18 to discuss the U.N. Security Council's demand that Iraq allow inspectors to resume their work.

U.N. weapons inspectors left Iraq in 1998 just before a U.S.-British bombing raid occurred. U.N. officials want to get back into the country to determine if Iraq has produced or acquired weapons of mass destruction.

The Iraqi National Congress, the main opposition to Saddam Hussein, did not return numerous phone calls Monday seeking comment. But earlier this month, Ahmed Chalabi, the head of the INC, told the Reuters news service that the U.N. strategy "has been tried again many times over the years" and he called it "a futile exercise."

According to Chalabi, "Saddam wants to keep weapons of mass destruction. He will not renounce them and he will hide and lie and cheat and dissimulate and deflect the United Nations."

Vice President Dick Cheney said over the weekend that the U.S. is "deadly serious" about preventing Saddam from obtaining nuclear weapons. Referring to Saddam, Cheney said, "This is a man of great evil, as the president said, and he is actively pursuing nuclear weapons at this time, and we think that's cause for concern for us and for everybody in the region."

Cheney, who met with Arab leaders during his recent visit to the Middle East, said they did not oppose possible American action against Saddam Hussein.

"No, not at all. What I came away with is the sense that they share our concern" about Iraq, the vice president said on CBS's Face The Nation program. Cheney conceded that some Arab leaders had publicly spoken out against American military action against Iraq but he said in private meetings many of those same leaders feared that Saddam might expand his weapons arsenal.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud did say Saturday that Arab countries were united in opposing any unjustified American attack against Iraq. Lahoud's country is hosting an Arab summit beginning Wednesday.