Top Iraqi aide rejects Bush’s terms

IRAQ was on course for a showdown with America after one of Saddam Hussein’s closest aides said yesterday that Baghdad did not accept President Bush’s conditions.

Tariq Aziz, one of Saddam Hussein’s most trusted lieutenants, also dismissed the return of UN weapons inspectors and made a US-led attack on Iraq more likely.

The White House said that Aziz’s rejection meant that Iraq had “something to hide”.

The words would not have surprised President Bush. He had doubted earlier in the day that Saddam Hussein would comply with US demands and warned the Iraqi dictator he has only days, not weeks.

“I am highly doubtful that he will meet our demands. I hope he does, but I’m highly doubtful,” Bush said.

“The reason I’m doubtful is he’s had 11 years to meet the demands. For 11 long years he has basically told the United Nations and the world he doesn’t care.”

Aziz also told MBC, a Gulf satellite TV station, “The return of inspectors without conditions will not solve the problem.

“We have had a bad experience with them. Is it clever to repeat an experience that failed and did not prevent aggression?

“Is the great diplomacy they are talking about to delay the US aggression four or five months and then to take place after the inspectors had returned?” Aziz asked.

UN inspectors hunting for Iraq’s nuclear, chemical, biological and ballistic weapons were withdrawn in December 1998 on the eve of Anglo-American bombing raids and have not been allowed to return.

In a meeting with African leaders in New York yesterday, Bush reiterated his request for a UN resolution, demanding that Saddam disarm his weapons programmes.

“We’re talking days and weeks, not months and years,” the president said in outlining his request for a UN-imposed deadline on Saddam.

“That’s essential for the safety of the world,” he said.

The US president spoke a day after asking the UN to join with the United States in taking action against Saddam unless the Iraqi president quickly meets a series of demands, including unconditional disarmament and an end to persecution of minorities.

Bush’s comments came as his Secretary of State Colin Powell launched talks with key foreign leaders to see if they can put together a UN resolution that calls on Iraq to submit to weapons inspections or risk grave consequences.

Mr Powell lunched with the foreign ministers of Britain, Russia, France and China and then held a separate session with the other members of the Security Council.

Only Britain stands firmly with the US in its hard-line approach to Saddam. The three other permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia, China and France, have the power to veto and torpedo a resolution.

Mr Powell’s tough assignment is to try to gain their support.