Iraq has approached the United Nations to call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on the country in the 1980s, Iraqis Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said on Tuesday.
”We presented to UN secretary general Kofi Annan in New York recently a number of concerns about the future of Iraq and the toll of the sanctions in that country,” Aziz said in Pretoria before returning to Iraq.
”We also raised the interference by the United States and the United Kingdom in Iraq’s domestic issues and the plans by the two countries to attack us,” he said.
Aziz said the purpose of the meeting was to call on the UN security council to respect its own resolutions which clarified Iraq’s sovereignty and independence.
”When two members (the US and the United Kingdom) violate the council’s resolution they themselves created that what needs to be solved and settled.
”We have done our best to implement all the provisions that were imposed on us, (including) the recognition of the sovereignty of Kuwait. Now the UN must act,” Aziz said.
Asked if Iraq would trade with the US and the UK if sanctions were to be lifted, he replied with an emphatic no.
”When their aircraft are bombing Iraq in the north as it is at the moment, they should never expect us to do any business with them.”
About US President George Bush’s wish to have his Iraqi counterpart Saddam Hussein forcefully removed from leadership, Aziz said no foreign country had the power to do that.
”Mr Bush and his government did not bring us to power therefore they cannot remove us. We are independent and capable of defending our integrity as well as dignity from outside forces.”
He said his country was worried about US dictatorial policy.
”As far as we are concerned we have been the victim of US aggression for a decade. We are not surprised by their threats, we are prepared to defend our country against any attack.”
Aziz denied accusations that Iraq was supplying Palestine suicide bombers with explosives.
”The main source of violence in the Middle East is the occupation of Palestine territories by Israel and assault perpetrated by that Zionist government against Palestinians.
”I do not believe what Palestinians are doing is violence, they are freedom fighters and want to emancipate their nation from oppression,” he said.
”South African liberation fighters were called terrorists under the apartheid regime, but now they are leading this beautiful country peacefully.”
Aziz, who has been in the country on a five-day visit, said no trade agreement reached was reached between Iraq and South Africa.
”We did not reach any agreement, but we spoke about opportunities. We are both sure there are serious opportunities in the future like trade in oil, electricity and transportation,” he said
”In my meeting with President Thabo Mbeki, we came to a conclusion that there are real opportunities to expand our economic and trade relations.”
Aziz congratulated Mbeki and other African leaders for the launch of the African Union in Durban on Tuesday.
He said Iraq intended expanding trade with African countries.
”Iraq has good relations with the majority of the African countries. We have attended numerous meetings where African leaders met to discuss trade,” Aziz said. – Sapa