Nudge nudge. Grin.
The decree was announced shortly before the chief U.N. weapons inspectors were to present new reports on Iraq's disarmament to the U.N. Security Council. The decree was issued, apparently, in response to repeated U.N. demands that Baghdad outlaw weapons of mass destruction.
"All ministries should implement this decree and take whatever measures are necessary and punish people who do not adhere to it," the presidential order read.
The decree banned individuals and companies from all sectors from importing or producing any material that could be used in the production of weapons of mass destruction. The Iraqi government insists it possesses no such weapons.
The decree came before Iraq's parliament was to meet in an emergency session to consider a similar piece of legislation on banning weapons. It was unclear how the presidential decree affected the parliament meeting.
In New York, chief U.N. weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei were to deliver their reports to the Security Council on Iraq's compliance in eliminating weapons of mass destruction.
The United States and Britain claim Iraq has not complied with the inspections, and have threatened to disarm Iraq by force if they are not convinced it is doing so on its own. [End]
So he can still export the WMDs he already has.