France Insists Saddam Has Never Bought Uranium

Independent (UK) ^ | 7-21-2003 | Kim Sengupta

[blam]

France insists Saddam has never bought uranium

By Kim Sengupta
21 July 2003

The British Government's claim that Saddam Hussein had sought to buy uranium from Niger has been dismissed by the French ambassador to the central African state.

In another blow to the credibility of the Blair Government over the issue, Denis Vène said it was impossible for uranium to leave the country without French officials knowing.

France has a substantial stake in the two companies that mine, process and export uranium, and its movement is "perfectly controlled". The ambassador told The Sunday Telegraph: "The mining companies check and monitor the amounts that leave Niger all the way from the mines to the ports. If any were to go missing, it would be very obvious and the inspectors would pick it up straight away."

British government sources had claimed that French intelligence supplied London with details of Iraqi uranium purchases. But this has been vehemently denied by Paris.

M. Vène was backed by Rabiou Hassanne Yari, Niger's Minister of Mines, who told The Independent on Sunday that he was "sure and certain" that his country had never sold uranium to Iraq.

Of Mr Blair's claim that 270 tons had been purchased in the 1980s, he said: "It's not true. The Iraqis asked, but there was never any transactions."

He added that the request was not a secret. It was "officially made and officially turned down". He pointed out that Niger's uranium production was subject to scrutiny by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Britain had maintained that the "purchase" of the uranium in the 1980s made it likely that Iraq went back for more.

[Dog]

And now France joins the fray..

[Bubba_Leroy]

In another blow to the credibility of the Blair Government over the issue, Denis Vène said it was impossible for uranium to leave the country without French officials knowing.

If true, all this proves is that French officials knew about it.

[Paladin2]

They're probably right. It was never sold - traded for Iraqi oil perhaps, but never, never sold (insert picture of CLinton - whoops, Chiraq wagging finger here).

[Dog]

Of Mr Blair's claim that 270 tons had been purchased in the 1980s, he said: "It's not true. The Iraqis asked, but there was never any transactions."

The French government just called Blair a liar.

[Monty22]

"France has a substantial stake in the two companies that mine, process and export uranium, and its movement is "perfectly controlled""

Whoah whoah.. Sounds like China's talking early on with SARS.. 'It's all perfect here' crap.

[ThreePuttinDude]

"Denis Vène said it was impossible for uranium to leave the country without French officials knowing. "

The French stink and so do their cover-ups

[William McKinley]

It never being sold is not incompatible with the idea that they tried to buy it.

I have not won the lottery. I have tried to win the lottery.

[Dog]

fyi..

[zarf]

Notice the assumption in the article that the French are telling the truth.

What happened to that storied press cynicism?

[Parley Baer]

These liberals are something else. Seems to me the debate was whether or not Saddam was "trying" to buy the yellow cake not that he actually did. Then again what was the radio active material that the Iraqi's looted and everyone was so concerned about? Parley

[spoiler2]

Seeking to buy uranium is completely different than actually buying it.

GW and Blair have both stated that Saddam "sought to buy uranium".

They never inferred that there was an actual completion of any transaction.

The article states that he was refused, thus does not run counter to their statements.

Am I missing something here?

[TheDon]

LOL! Good point.

[nothingnew]

"Denis Vène said it was impossible for uranium to leave the country without French officials knowing. "

Ferme la bouche. Eat some cheese and put your hands up...NOW!

FMCDH

[Miss Marple]

What you are missing is the anti-Bush transmogrifier, which makes any tangential statement proof that Blair and Bush were lying.

Actually, no, you are not missing anything, just as William McKinley isn't. They are spinning.

[Mo1]

Let me see .. who am I going believe ...

Hmmmmmm France and Saddam or The US and Britain?

[mfulstone]

Simple answer: Any sample of Uranium will contain impurities. The types and amounts of impurities can be spectrographically analysed. It's like fingerprinting.

We should immediately check for the Nigerian Uranium fingerprint in the stockpiles we have seized in Iraq.

[nothingnew]

No.

FMCDH

[isom35]

hey france, try and prove a negative, you nitwits...

[Mo1]

We should immediately check for the Nigerian Uranium fingerprint in the stockpiles we have seized in Iraq

BINGO!