DATE=12/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243374
TITLE=IRAQ MONDAY (L UPDATE)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=AMMAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  IRAQ'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE U-S AND BRITISH AIR
STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ IN RECENT DAYS KILLED 62 SOLDIERS AND 
WOUNDED 180, BUT THAT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES WERE MUCH HIGHER.  
MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS THE REMARKS COMES AS
U-N RELIEF WORKERS SAY THEY PLAN TO RETURN TO IRAQ TUESDAY.

TEXT:  DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ ASSAILED THE U-S AND 
BRITISH GOVERNMENTS FOR THE ATTACKS, SAYING THEY SHOULD BE CALLED
TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR ACTIONS.  AND HE REJECTED A PROPOSAL BY 
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR THAT 
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS COULD BE ENDED -- IF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS 
RESUME.

                       ///  AZIZ ACT  ///

         WE SHALL NEVER, NEVER ACCEPT ANY CONDITIONS MADE BY 
         CLINTON OR BLAIR.  WE DID NOT DAMAGE OUR RELATIONS WITH 
         THE UNITED NATIONS. THEY DAMAGED THE UNITED NATIONS 
         ITSELF. THEY ACTED ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE. 
         THEY DID NOT ACT ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL LAW.  

                        ///  END ACT  ///

THE IRAQI OFFICIAL TOLD REPORTERS IN BAGHDAD  (MONDAY EVENING) 
THAT THE U-S AND BRITISH CLAIMS OF GREAT SUCCESS WERE LIES.  U-S 
AND BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY THE FOUR NIGHTS OF AIR ATTACKS HIT 
NEARLY 100 TARGETS IN IRAQ AND SEVERELY DISRUPTED THE IRAQI 
MILITARY COMMAND STRUCTURE.

THE HEAD OF THE U-N HUMANITARIAN WORKERS IN IRAQ SAID MONDAY THAT
HIS STAFF IS RETURNING TO RESUME DISTRIBUTIONS OF FOOD AND 
MEDICINE TO IRAQI'S SUFFERING FROM THE EIGHT YEARS OF SANCTIONS.

MEANWHILE, IRAQIS CONTINUE TO DIG OUT FROM THE RUBBLE LEFT BY THE
MISSILE ATTACKS.  MANY EXPRESS DEFIANCE, SAYING THE ATTACKS HAD 
FAILED.

THESE FEELINGS WERE ECHOED IN THE IRAQI PRESS.  THE OFFICIAL 
AL-QADISSIYA NEWSPAPER SAID THE HEROISM OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE HAD 
FOILED THE ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE BOND BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN AND 
HIS PEOPLE.

THE AL-THAWRA NEWSPAPER OF THE RULING BAATH PARTY SAID THE U-S 
AND BRITISH AGGRESSORS HAD FAILED TO ACHIEVE THEIR CRIMINAL AIMS.
AND THE INFLUENTIAL BABEL DAILY SAID THE STRIKES WERE HALTED 
BECAUSE HAD THEY CONTINUED FOR MUCH LONGER, THE WHOLE ARAB NATION
WOULD HAVE ERUPTED.

                       ///  REST OPT  ///

REACTION ACROSS THE ARAB WORLD WAS EQUALLY CRITICAL.

THE ARAB LEAGUE CONDEMNED THE STRIKES AND ANNOUNCED MONDAY IT WAS
CONSULTING ITS MEMBERS ON THE PROSPECTS OF HOLDING AN ARAB 
SUMMIT, THE FIRST IN MORE THAN TWO YEARS.

EGYPT'S LARGEST ISLAMIST ORGANIZATION, THE ISLAMIC GROUP, IN A 
MESSAGE TO THE LONDON-BASED AL-HAYAT NEWSPAPER, THREATENED TO 
RETALIATE AGAINST U-S INTERESTS AND BLOW UP EMBASSIES OF KUWAIT, 
ONE OF THE FEW ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT THE AIR 
STRIKES.

LEBANON'S AN-NAHAR NEWSPAPER CALLED THE STRIKES THE SILLIEST OF 
WARS.  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES' AL-ITTIHAD NEWSPAPER CALLED THE 
OPERATION DECEITFUL.  AND JORDAN'S AL-RAI NEWSPAPER SAID THE 
STRIKES HAD UNLEASHED ARAB FURY ON THE UNITED STATES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/SB/JWH

21-Dec-98 2:36 PM EST (1936 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.