Once again, Saddam outflanks George Bush

Iraq agrees to the return of UN inspectors

The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Unmovic) set out its readiness to send its inspectors to Iraq. Experts can leave for the country any moment if there is approval from the UN Security Council.

This document appeared after Iraqi Prime Minister Tarik Aziz released a statement in Baghdad pertaining to the consent of his country for international inspectors to return to Iraq unconditionally. As he declared, Iraq had already informed the UN Secretary General of the decision.

International inspectors left Baghdad in 1998. The UN Security Council has been trying to secure their return since that time. Baghdad has had it its own way during those years. Iraq believed that the return of international inspectors was only a formality that was supposed to lead to the withdrawal of international sanctions against Iraq.

The USA has the opposite position on the subject. America insists on the inspectors’ return without any obligations on the part of the international community. Diamonds cut diamonds, so to speak. That’s why Tarik Aziz’s statement was surprising for many people. Experts thought that Iraq would try to find a way to react to George Bush’s speech to the UN last week. This would be an attempt to reduce the danger of a military strike.

This would be completely clear; however, nobody thought that Iraq would agree to the return of inspectors without any preliminary conditions at all. Washington and London said altogether that Iraq was trying to prevent military action. Both America and Great Britain believe that Iraq only understands military language. The White House released a statement in which the American government confirmed its inclination to take tough measures in order to eliminate Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

The UN Security Council is supposed to decide what its reaction to the Iraqi suggestion will be on Wednesday. Most likely, the council will make a positive decision. Russia and France welcomed the decision of the Iraqi leadership.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that Baghdad’ decision to grant entry to UN inspectors was a step in the right direction. At the same time, the minister added that Iraq should execute all relevant UN resolutions as well.

It is too early to come to any conclusions. Yet, there is one thing that is clear: Saddam has some time to rest, and he will definitely use that time. Elections to the US Congress and the US Senate are to take place in the USA in October. Bush’s hawks might not obtain the majority that they need at the moment. If this happens, then one can forget about anti-Iraqi sanctions. Saddam has topped Bush again.

Dmitry Chirkin PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov