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Dear list, Put this incredible response together with the freeing of the prisoners and negotiations with the political opposition in Iraq -- are we witnessing a change at the top leadership of Iraq, and how will the US downplay that? Philippa Winkler >===== Original Message From anairhoads@myself.com ===== >By Irwin Arieff > >UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iraq said on Wednesday it accepted a new U.N. >Security Council resolution, which orders Baghdad to disarm, cooperate with >U.N. weapons inspectors or face "serious consequences." > > >"I delivered a letter to the secretary-general's office," Iraq's U.N. >ambassador Mohammed Aldouri told reporters. "It was a positive reply." > > >Aldouri described the six-page letter as setting out Baghdad's entire >position on the resolution, adopted by a 15-0 vote last Friday. But he said >the response was "unconditional, no questions asked." > > >"We are waiting for the inspectors to go as scheduled," Aldouri said. "We >are eager to see the inspectors perform their duties in accordance with >international law." > > >Aldouri said Baghdad has accepted the resolution in an effort to avoid war. > > >"This is a part of our policy that is to protect our country, to protect the >nation, to protect our region also from the threat of war which is real," he >said. > > >The letter was signed by Foreign Minister Naji Sabri. > > >The Security Council had given Iraq a one-week deadline to Nov. 15, to >accept the resolution and promise to abide by its terms. Aldouri said his >country agreed to the measure in order to avoid a U.S.-led attack. > > >Iraq's acceptance came as a surprise as most council members expected >Baghdad to wait until Friday. The letter arrived a day after the Iraqi >parliament voted unanimously to reject the resolution and its terms. > > >Aldouri said again his country had no weapons of mass destruction and would >make that clear. Iraq next month has to give a declaration of any weapons >programs or components of dangerous weapons it still may have under terms of >the resolution. > > >An advance party of U.N. technicians is expected to go to Baghdad on Monday >to prepare for inspections, not expected for another week or two. > >China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Yishan Zhang, who holds this month's >Security Council presidency, said the 15-member body welcomed "the correct >decision of the Iraqi government." > >"We want to see the resolution implemented fully and very effectively," he >said. > >A U.S. official, however, said, "We shouldn't make more of this than there >is. This is their responsibility under the council mandate." > > >~ Anai Rhoads > >- - - - >Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk