Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504170090
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: AMMAN, JORDAN LENGTH: Medium
After meeting with President Saddam Hussein, Iraq's ruling Revolutionary Command Council described the proposal as an ``American project that is more harmful and more dangerous'' than similar proposals made previously by the United Nations and rejected by Iraq, according to news service reports. The council asserted that Friday's offer was merely an attempt by the United Nations to avoid lifting the full range of sanctions placed on Iraq after the 1991 Persian Gulf War and was aimed at undermining the steadfastness of the Iraqi people.
Official newspapers urged Iraqis to arm themselves with ``patience,'' and two government-organized demonstrations condemned the U.N. gesture.
The resolution allows Iraq to sell $2 billion worth of oil every six months on a renewable basis - a small fraction of its prewar oil income of $18 billion a year. For each $1 billion of oil sold, it would be required to spend at least $650 million on relief supplies, and up to $300 million would have to go toward war reparations.
Diplomats in the region said unconditional acceptance by Baghdad would weaken the regime's iron grip on an isolated and impoverished population, as well as its campaign to drum up worldwide sympathy for the privation Iraqis have suffered under the embargo. On the other hand, the almost sure rejection by Iraq of the proposal will delay its re-integration into the world community and jettison hopes for better living standards for its people in the near future.
The government supplies subsidized milk, sugar, oil and other staples at low prices, but those rations hardly meet half of basic nutritional requirements. Iraq has been boosting local agriculture to ensure self-sufficiency in case of prolonged sanctions. Press reports have said the government has tripled prices of Iraqi-grown wheat and barley to motivate farmers to produce more.
``The new resolution contains the same restrictions violating Iraqi sovereignty, independence and national unity and delays the application'' of U.N. Resolution 687, which calls for a full lifting of trade sanctions, an official communique transmitted by the official Iraqi News Agency said. The statement, issued after the meeting of the Iraqi leadership, said the timing of the latest resolution was a ``prelude to shackling the future of our people.''
In Washington, a U.S. official said, ``It is our hope that upon reflection, the Iraqi regime realizes this is the only way they could earn hard currency for that purpose, because their behavior in other ways ... gives no reason to think the oil embargo will be lifted soon.''
The newspaper Babel, published by Saddam's eldest son, Udai, berated the United States for pushing the resolution and accused Washington of seeking to block moves aimed at lifting the ban on Iraqi oil exports.
``The number one enemy is America,'' the paper said. ``Our jihad [holy war] and perseverance should focus on defending ourselves against the murderous American monster.''
by CNB