Blair is a liar says Iraq

Accusing British prime minister Tony Blair of lying to justify an attack, Iraq tonight dismissed his dossier that accuses Saddam Hussein of pursuing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

“This conclusion that Iraq is engaged in the production of weapons of mass destruction is simply not true,” Iraqi presidential adviser Amir al-Sa’adi told an evening news conference.

“His (Blair’s) allegations are long, his evidence is short,” al-Sa’adi said, calling the report a “hodgepodge of half-truths, lies and shortsighted and naive allegations” which he said would not hold up when examined by “competent and independent” experts.

“He knows that his dossier is for public consumption and propaganda in preparation for war and not for the scrutiny of experts,” al-Sa’adi added.

Al-Sa’adi specifically denied that Iraq had increased the range of the missiles beyond the 93 mile limit imposed by the United Nations.

He said Iraq has continued to keep records on the development of its missile programme in the absence of inspectors and would hand them over to the United Nations.

“All these allegations will not take long to verify when the inspectors are back,” he said. “They will soon reveal the truth about those things.”

Culture Minister Hammed Youssef Hammadi said: “The British prime minister is serving the campaign of lies led by Zionists against Iraq.” . He described the British claims as “totally baseless.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, in Cairo to consult with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, also insisted that Iraq is clear of any weapons of mass destruction and was not trying to produce them.

“Weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons cannot be hidden in a pocket,” he said.

Sabri said the British government dossier “aims to justify the unjustifiable ... the aggressive intentions against Iraq.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said Saddam confirmed Iraq was prepared for the unconditional return of weapons inspectors and that Mubarak stressed the importance of cooperating with the inspectors.