Hussein apologises for 1990 Kuwait invasion

Saddam Hussein this evening apologised for his 1990 invasion of Kuwait, as he handed over a dossier detailing Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological activities.

The massive document – 11,807 pages long and accompanied by CD-ROMs containing 529 megabytes of information – was given to United Nations officials in Baghdad hours after being displayed to the international press.

Iraqi officials insisted the country held no weapons of mass destruction, but said the dossier contained details of “dual-use” technology which could be used for civilian or military purposes.

A message from Saddam to the Kuwaiti people was read out on Iraqi television as the declaration was handed over.

In it, the dictator apologised for the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which sparked the Gulf War, and called on Kuwaitis not to side with the US in any future war.

After outlining the events leading up to the invasion, the message said: “We apologise to God about any act that has angered him in the past and that was held against us, and we apologise to you (the Kuwaitis) on the same basis.

“What we wish for you is what we wish for your brothers in Iraq – To live free from foreign rule and intervention in your wealth and future and to remain free and faithful and serve your own interests, not align yourselves with aggressors.”