Iraqi officials criticized Mr. Bush's statements, calling them a collection of lies and stating that he provided no evidence to prove that Iraq is equipped with weapons of mass destruction. Iraqi state television reported that a U.S. military attack could ignite an uncontrollable fire in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is expected that Iraqi Foreign Minister Najaf Sabri will travel to New York today (Friday) to express his country's views. In other reactions to the U.S. President's statements, officials from Russia, France, Turkey, and Jordan stated that they would prefer the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq rather than a regime change in Baghdad. The Iraqi government claims that President Bush resorted to lies and slander in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly regarding the threat posed by Iraq's weapons program. Tariq Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad today that he would later point out the inaccuracies in the U.S. President's speech one by one. The governments of Britain and Israel praised President Bush's statements on Thursday, but several governments also urged Washington to cooperate with the United Nations to resolve the Iraq crisis. Ahead of the speech by the Russian Foreign Minister at today's General Assembly meeting, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that many diplomatic avenues remain open to resolve the Iraq crisis.
Iraq's Reaction to the Statements of the President of the United States - 2002-09-13
Iraq condemned President Bush's statements regarding its alleged weapons of mass destruction, labeling them as lies without evidence. Various countries, including Russia and France, expressed a preference for the return of weapons inspectors instead of regime change. This situation highlights the ongoing tensions and differing international perspectives on Iraq's weapons program.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iraqi officials condemned President Bush's claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction as false and lacking evidence. Various countries expressed a preference for diplomatic solutions rather than military intervention.
- Iraq's government labeled U.S. accusations as lies and planned to challenge them publicly.
- Several nations, including Russia and France, advocated for the return of weapons inspectors instead of regime change.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
In the early 2000s, the U.S. accused Iraq of developing weapons of mass destruction, leading to widespread international debate and eventual military intervention. This period marked significant tensions between the U.S. and Iraq, influencing global politics.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%