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Iraq Dares U.S. To Support Terror Claims, Russia Wants Undeniable Proof
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“Everybody in the region and in the world knows Iraq has no connection with al-Qaeda," Aziz
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WASHINGTON,
January 29 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Iraqi Deputy Prime
Minister Wednesday, January 29, challenged U.S. President George W.
Bush to present any evidence supporting his claims of Iraq’s links
to al-Qaeda, as Russia demanded the U.S. to present an undeniable
proof of Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction.
Tareq
Aziz categorically denied that his country has any connection to the
al-Qaeda terror network, a day after Bush repeated the allegation in
his State of the Union address.
"I
absolutely deny that," Aziz told ABC television from Baghdad.
"Everybody in the region and in the world knows Iraq has no
connection with al-Qaeda."
In
his speech to the Congress and the nation Tuesday, Bush claimed that
Iraq aids terrorists without presenting any evidence supporting his
accusations.
"Evidence
from intelligence sources, secret communications and statements by
people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects
terrorists, including members of al-Qaeda," Bush said.
Aziz
challenged Bush to put forth proof of such a connection.
"Until
now, this false accusation was repeated many times and no evidence was
presented," he said.
"Allow
me to say that many respectable politicians and leaders in the world
have said that we don't have any evidence that Iraq has any links with
al-Qaeda or with the terrorists."
Aziz
also said that Iraq was prepared for imminent war, which he called the
"worst scenario."
"This
nation is brave enough and capable enough of protecting its
sovereignty," he said. "If they dare to invade Iraq, they
will suffer great losses and they will lose in the end."
'undeniable
proof'
Meanwhiel,
Russia's UN ambassador said Wednesday that any fresh U.S. evidence
against Iraq would have to contain undeniable proof Baghdad retained
banned nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
While
welcoming plans for U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to reveal new
information to the UN Security Council next week, Ambassador Sergey
Lavrov made it clear Moscow would require convincing.
"If
countries have persuasive proof that Iraq continues its (weapons of
mass destruction) program than this proof should be presented,"
Lavrov said.
"We
would like to see undeniable proof."
Responding
to Bush's aggressive State of the Union speech Tuesday, January 28,
Lavrov said Russia's stance remained unchanged that weapons
inspections in Iraq should be allowed to continue.
"We
have not seen any reason so far to undercut the inspection
process," he said.
Bush's
speech was widely seen as moving the United States closer to war as he
vowed to throw the full might of the U.S. military behind his bid to
attack Iraq.
In
a bid to overcome opposition to military action against Iraq, Bush
said Powell would present the council new evidence of Iraqi defiance
of UN disarmament demands February 5.
Schroeder
concerned
In
Berlin, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder warned Wednesday that diplomacy
might not be able to avert a war in Iraq, as the United States upped
the pressure on Germany to reconsider its opposition to military
action.
In
his first public expression of doubt, Schroeder said the international
situation, particularly the Iraqi crisis, was worrying him "more
than people think."
"Worrying
whether we will succeed -- and I think here we must use all our
efforts -- in avoiding war and resolving the conflict
peacefully."
Schroeder,
who was in the western town of Wesel, is strongly opposed to a war on
Iraq and has promised that Germany will not vote in favor of military
action at the UN Security Council.
Germany,
which takes the chair of the 15-nation body on February 1 for a month,
has led efforts to push for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.
Earlier,
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer also stressed the primacy of
the body, saying that Germany would do all it could to achieve
disarmament without using military force.
The
foreign minister had himself voiced doubts during a Middle East tour
at the weekend about the chances of a diplomatic solution.
Germany’s
comments were echoed by France, another of the five veto-wielding
Security Council members, which has put pressure on Washington to
release intelligence it says proves Iraq's development of a banned
weapons program.
"I
welcome this American decision," said Foreign Minister Dominique
de Villepin.
"For
several weeks we've been asking all of those who have particular
information ... to give this information to the (UN weapons)
inspectors."
Scratched
old record
Iraq
itself dismissed Bush's speech, with Culture Minister Hamed Yussef
Hammadi telling reporters: "Bush has been repeating himself for
the last two years like a scratched old record."
He
added: "In any speech he says that time is running out for Iraq,
we will disarm Iraq if Iraq does not disarm itself. These two
(phrases) have been going on for the last two years."
But
Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Al Douri said later
Wednesday that Iraq will pro-actively cooperate with UN weapons
inspectors.
European
Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the top UN body should
remain the main forum for decision-making on Iraq.
"The
center of gravity should continue to be the Security Council,"
Solana said. "We have to put in place all the elements in order
to avoid the catastrophe of a war."
Austria
will not participate in a war against Iraq
Austria,
whose constitution declares its neutrality, will not participate in a
war against Iraq even if the attack has UN backing, Chancellor
Wolfgang Schuessel said Wednesday.
Speaking
to reporters after a meeting of his national security council,
Schuessel said the Austrian government backed a peaceful settlement of
the Iraqi crisis.
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