Скачать или смотреть IRAQ/UK: UN/IRAQI WEAPONS INSPECTIONS STAND-OFF LATEST

(23 Nov 1998) English/Nat

The U-N envoy, Prakash Shah, has returned to Baghdad as the latest stand-off with Iraq over the production of documents continues.

UNSCOM's Chief Inspector, Richard Butler continues to demand new documents while the Iraqi authorities claim the papers required do not actually exist.

The UK and US continue to exert pressure on Saddam Hussein - with British government officials holding meetings with exiled opponents of the regime in London.

Prakash Shah flew to Iraq on Monday - arriving at the Habbaniya military airport west of Baghdad.

He's expected to try and resolve a new row over 12 categories of documents which chief U-N arms inspector Richard Butler has demanded.

Baghdad, in a formal response, rejected all but two of the requests - with newspapers in the capital unleashing more invective against Butler on Monday.

The Al-Thawra daily, an organ of the ruling Ba'ath Party, said Butler viewed Iraq's decision to let the inspectors resume their activities as a personal victory which he believes will enable him to take revenge on Iraq.

In London, the Foreign office held a meeting of 16 exiled Iraqi opposition groups from different religious and ethnic backgrounds.

British officials label the meeting the first of a series, reflecting the greater frankness by the United States and Britain that a prime aim in ending the stalemate over U-N weapons inspections is to topple Saddam.

But analysts say the groups' biggest problem is overcoming their differences so they can work together.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The groups themselves tend to be small but fighting with each other, they have limited resources. The problem is that most of these groups are either dominated by a particular ethnic group of Iraq or they are only one ethnic group so others don't join."
SUPERCAPTION: Judith Kipper, Senior Analyst for Centre for Strategic and International Studies

After the meeting, one of the members said they were all very pleased with how it had gone and were encouraged that more meetings were to take place.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We in the opposition are looking forward to working together further and look to working with the British government on bringing a solution to the crisis in Iraq. I think all members in the meeting, all Iraqi members in the meeting were very pleased with this meeting and we look forward to further meetings of this kind."
SUPER CAPTION: Sharif Ali, Constitutional Monarchy Movement

Another member stressed the importance of working together to present a united front.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think what we need to do first, between us as opposition, is to present a unified political agenda and mechanism on how to get to the point where we actually commence discussion of military aid and training whereby all, the majority if not all participants, not only in this meeting but inside Iraq as well can play their role."
SUPER CAPTION: Nabeel Musawi, Iraqi National Congress

The minister who hosted the meeting said they all agreed that Iraq would be a better place without Saddam.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There was a strong consensus on the way forward, a recognition on all parts that it was inconceivable to think that Iraq without Saddam Hussein would not be better than it is today. And I urged them to work together, to cooperate on getting across the political messages about what has happened across Iraq over the period of Saddam Hussein's rule."
SUPER CAPTION: Derek Fatchett, Junior foreign minister

Fatchett made no specific commitments regarding military or financial support for the exiled Iraqi groups.

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