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Iraq | |||
Iraqi Ambassador Refuses to Leave China | |||
2003-07-18 | |||
Iraq’s ambassador to China has armed himself with pistols and locked other diplomats out of the main Iraqi embassy building in Beijing, refusing orders to return to Baghdad, an Iraqi diplomat said Friday. "Keep back, or the ambassador dies! Wait, that doesn’t sound right." Mowaffaq Alani was ordered June 6 to return to Iraq as part of a general recall of ambassadors, said Talal H. Al-Khudairi, who said he was asked to take over as representative to China by authorities in Iraq. There was no comment from Baghdad.
"We’ll get back to you later."
They really, really don’t want to go home. On Thursday afternoon, Alani could be seen from a nearby apartment building strolling inside the compound with his two children. He did not appear to be armed. The embassy has largely shut down since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq on March 20, although Al-Khudairi said visa issuing and trade functions were expected to resume soon. Soon to reopen under new management. All of Iraq’s ambassadors have been ordered home by the American occupation forces, although it isn’t known how many have complied. Humm, good question Alani was appointed ambassador to China in January. A loyalist to deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, he said in an interview in April that the Chinese government has assured his safety under the Geneva Conventions and other treaties.
Oh, he’s that Iraqi diplomat. Got promoted to ambassador for his good work for Sammy. I guess that explains why he doesn’t want to go home. Something about possible war crimes. Al-Khudairi said embassy staff wanted only for Alani to leave. ``We don’t have any personal feud,’’ Al-Khudairi said. ``He is now an ordinary person who happens to be in the wrong place for the wrong reason.’’ Just leave him alone, it’s not like you’re going to be doing a lot of business for a while. | |||
Posted by:Steve |
#1 Nobody gives a damn if he goes home, to Bejing, or straight to hell. But he's gotta clean out his desk by the 20th... |
Posted by: mojo 2003-7-18 12:17:20 PM |