Iraq wants peace, but will not surrender its dignity, says Saddam

SADDAM HUSSEIN yesterday declared Iraq wants peace — but not at the price of its dignity and independence.

The Iraqi leader told a visiting delegation of Russian lawmakers, including Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, that if the United States carries out its threat to attack, Iraq will “triumph over it, God willing”.

“Iraq doesn’t want war,” he said. But he added that peace “at any cost” was not acceptable. “We shall not relinquish our independence, our dignity and our right to live and act freely.”

Even as Saddam spoke, United Nations weapons inspectors hunted for banned Iraqi missiles, visiting at least three sites involved in making rockets and their components.

The UN has not yet said whether it will insist that Iraq modify its Al Samoud 2 missiles, whose range has been found to exceed the 94-mile limit imposed by UN resolutions, or will require they be destroyed.

Under the resolutions, all proscribed weapons systems must be destroyed, but inspectors’ spokesman Hiro Ueki yesterday said Al Samoud missiles could also be “rendered harmless ... making sure that they cannot be used.”

During a visit to Baghdad in January, chief arms inspector Hans Blix said the Iraqis suggested that when they fitted guidance and control systems and other devices to the missiles, they would be weighed down and fly within the legal distance.

Iraq’s foreign minister, Naji Sabri, was asked what Iraq would do if told to destroy the missiles. He refused to answer, saying the question was too hypothetical.

Destruction of the Al Samouds would rob Saddam’s army of a valuable military asset at a time when nearly 250,000 American and British troops have massed in the region in preparation for a possible invasion of Iraq.

The United States and Britain, which accuse Iraq of concealing weapons of mass destruction, plan to press this week for a UN Security Council resolution authorising the use of force to disarm Iraq, US and British diplomats say.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expected the negotiations to be wrapped up by the time UN weapons inspector Hans Blix delivers his next report on Iraq on March 1.

Mr Ueki said the inspectors in Baghdad have already identified and tagged 380 rocket engines which Mr Blix said were illegally imported by Iraq for use in the al Samoud missiles.

A UN spokesman yesterday said inspectors were tagging more missiles.

The Iraqi Information Ministry said the weapons inspectors yesterday visited the al-Mamoun missile fuel plant and al-Karama complex, which manufactures missile components and guidance systems.