CHANGES in the UN sanctions regime against Iraq will not stop Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from acquiring material that can be converted to military use, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday.
The UN Security Council is expected to vote early next week on changes to the sanctions regime to allow a freer flow of non-military goods but tighter controls on materials that could be used in weapons of mass destruction programmes.
But Rumsfeld said until the Iraqi border is sealed, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will be able to strengthen his military with smuggled dual-use goods.
”Quite apart from what is permitted and not permitted, there is a great deal that is moving across their border, and it is common knowledge in the world that Iraq has an enormous appetite for weapons of mass destruction and military capabilities,” he said.
Rumsfeld said the discussions aimed at creating ”smarter” sanctions were ”useful.”
”The United States has been participating in those, and I have every confidence that things will be better than they were,” he said.
”But there is no question if you have a determined dictator, as we do with Saddam Hussein, that he’s going to continue to improve his military capabilities as he has in recent months,” he said. ? Sapa-AFP