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British report baseless Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020924/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_britain_4 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020924/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_britain_4 Middle East - AP Iraq Calls British Report 'Baseless' Tue Sep 24, 8:12 AM ET By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq branded as baseless British allegations Tuesday that President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) is pursuing weapons of mass destruction "The British prime minister is serving the campaign of lies led by Zionists against Iraq," Iraqi Culture Minister Hammed Youssef Hammadi told reporters during the opening of a painting exhibition in Baghdad. According to the dossier, Iraq has military plans for the use of chemical and biological weapons, and has tried to acquire uranium from Africa. It also said the country has extended the range of its ballistic missiles. "I am in no doubt that the threat is serious and current, that he (Saddam) has made progress on (weapons of mass destruction), and that he has to be stopped," British Prime Minister Tony Blair ( news - web sites) said in an introduction to the dossier. Blair has been a key backer of the United States, which accuses Iraq of stockpiling weapons of mass destruction and harboring terrorists and has said Saddam should be toppled. Hammadi called the British claims "totally baseless." Also Tuesday, Saddam sent Foreign Minister Naji Sabri to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ( news - web sites) and deliver a message from him. Egypt's Middle East News Agency did not describe the message handed over during the private meeting between Mubarak and Sabri in Cairo. Neither man spoke to reporters afterward. Mubarak, a close U.S. ally, has joined other Arab leaders in warning that a U.S. strike on Iraq could destabilize the region. Egypt, which fought alongside the United States in the 1991 Gulf War ( news - web sites) that forced Iraq out of Kuwait, has said it would support a U.S. strike on Iraq if it were done under U.N. auspices. Egypt also had pleaded with Iraq to permit U.N. weapons inspectors in order to defuse the crisis. On. Sept. 16, Iraq sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan ( news - web sites) agreeing to accept inspectors without conditions. But the United States is skeptical Iraq will keep that promise. Annan said at the United Nations ( news - web sites) Monday that he has not heard anything from Iraq since the letter was delivered. Arriving in Cairo Monday night, Sabri, speaking to reporters at Cairo airport, accused the United States of seeking not to ensure his country is free of weapons of mass destruction but to "realize aggressive intentions, which only benefit Israel." Iraq, in an attempt to rally regional support, has portrayed itself as the only Arab country willing to stand up to Israel and the United States. The United Nations imposed harsh sanctions on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The sanctions cannot be lifted until U.N. inspectors certify that the country's weapons of mass destruction have been destroyed.

Already defying un British report baseless Iraq shows powell cited facilities { February 8 2003 } Iraq slams us lies Iraqi rebuttal sattellite photos { February 8 2003 } Saddam frustrated proving wmd innocent to US Weapons claims untrue { November 14 2002 } Files Listed: 7

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