DATE=1/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQ ANNIVERSARY (L)
NUMBER=2-258139
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has observed 
the ninth-anniversary of the beginning of the Gulf war 
with a defiant speech in which he urges his people to 
remain steadfast in the face of international 
sanctions.  The government of Kuwait, which was 
invaded by Iraq prior to the war, also observed the 
anniversary, saying it still feels threatened by its 
neighbor.  Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our 
Middle East Bureau in Cairo.

TEXT:  Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad to 
mark the ninth anniversary of what the Iraqi 
leadership calls the victory in the Gulf war.

President Saddam Hussein told his people in a 
televised message not to lose hope, despite what he 
acknowledged have been many sacrifices during 10-years 
of economic sanctions. 

     ///  HUSSEIN ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER  ///

The Iraqi president said the heads of Arabs and Iraqis 
are still high and proud because of the struggle.  He 
vowed defiance, saying despite international scheming, 
Iraqis will not bow.

The Iraqi leader's message, laced with religious 
references and military exhortations, did not make 
specific references to any country.  And it did not 
mention a compromise resolution passed by the U-N 
Security Council one-month ago that proposes to end 
sanctions against Iraq in return for cooperation with 
U-N weapons inspectors.

/// OPT ///  The resolution was passed after months of 
deadlock in the Security Council.  Three permanent 
members -- China, France, and Russia -- abstained from 
the vote, reportedly to demonstrate their 
dissatisfaction over continuing the sanctions.  Other 
members, like Britain and the United States, 
reportedly wanted stronger guarantees of Iraqi 
compliance with a proposed new weapons inspections 
program before sanctions would be eased.

Iraq has rejected the new resolution as meaningless 
because it does not remove sanctions unconditionally.

The sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait 
in August 1990.  Iraq says more than one-million 
Iraqis have died because of disease and malnutrition 
due to the sanctions.  /// END OPT ///

The government of Kuwait, whose occupation by Iraq 
brought on the sanctions, also noted the anniversary 
by saying it believes Iraq is still a threat.  
Kuwait's Defense Minister, Sheikh Salem al-Sabah, said 
his government still does not trust Iraq because the 
leadership has not changed.

Meanwhile, a team of U-N petroleum experts arrived in 
Baghdad to assess Iraq's need for spare parts for its 
oil industry, which has been badly hurt by the 
sanctions.

Iraq is allowed to export five-billion-dollars worth 
of oil every six-months in order to buy food, 
medicine, and other non-military goods.  But, the 
Iraqi government complains that many import requests 
are refused or delayed by a U-N special committee 
because of allegations these imports could be used for 
military purposes.   (SIGNED)

NEB/SB/JWH/RAE



17-Jan-2000 11:09 AM EDT (17-Jan-2000 1609 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.