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Saddam Bans Import, Production of WMD
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein complied with a key U.N. arms demand on Friday by decreeing a ban on importing or making weapons of mass destruction or materials used in them. "Individuals and companies in private and mixed sectors are banned from importing and producing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons," the presidential decree read. It said materials used in producing them were also banned. Saddam ordered his ministers to take all necessary measures to implement the decree and "punish those who don't adhere to it." The Iraqi parliament was meeting shortly to approve the legislation. Iraq had already succumbed over the past eight days to two other key demands by the inspectors -- private interviews with Iraqi scientists and U-2 surveillance flights. The Iraqi News Agency (INA) earlier said Saddam had chaired a meeting of top officials to say the country had no biological, chemical or nuclear arms -- but would fight anyone who attacked. "Those meeting...wanted to assure those whom it may concern in our great people, nation and humanity that Iraq is free of the so-called weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical and biological," INA said. Hours before the top U.N. arms inspectors give a report to the U.N. Security Council that could influence the chance or timing of any war, Saddam also reiterated that Iraq was free of any such weapons, a claim the United States rejects. The decree is at Posted by: Murat 2003-02-14 |
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