Iraq invites Congress to visit, US says no

By Nadim Ladki
 

Mon Aug 5, 2002

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq, faced with the threat of an American invasion, invited the U.S. Congress Monday to send a mission to Baghdad, and said it would be given free access to any site alleged to be developing weapons of mass destruction.

The White House dismissed the invitation, saying there was no need for discussions, although it acknowledged it could do nothing if any members of Congress wanted to take up the offer.

Iraq's influential Parliament Speaker Saadoun Hammadi, in a letter addressed to Congress, invited a delegation "comprising whatever number of congressmen you see fit, accompanied by experts in the fields you deem relevant to the purpose of the visit, i.e. chemical, biological and nuclear."

President Bush accuses Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of being a menace to the region, and has said he is "looking at all options, the use of all tools" to deal with the Iraqi leader.

The Iraqi leadership held a meeting last Friday, which Hammadi attended. Hammadi is close to Saddam, and any statement he makes is likely to have the approval of the Iraqi leader.

The four-page letter said the delegation would be given "every facility needed to search and inspect any plants and installations allegedly producing, or intended to produce, chemical, biological or nuclear weapons."

Hammadi said the delegation would be free to search whatever site it wished "however deep underground such facilities may be thought to exist."

He said the delegation would be the guests of the Iraqi government for "say, a period of three weeks."

Hammadi delivered the letter to the Polish ambassador in Baghdad. The Polish Embassy is in charge of U.S. interests in Iraq. A copy of the letter in English was obtained by Reuters.

The letter came five days after Iraq invited chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to Baghdad to discuss all pending issues on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, key to suspending U.N. sanctions imposed when Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990.

The United States and Britain responded to the invitation with skepticism while France and Russia welcomed it.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday talks between Iraq and Blix would be considered if Iraq honored Security Council requirements about what would be discussed.

The U.S. Congress last week held hearings on the Bush administration's policy on toppling Saddam. The United States accuses Iraq of producing weapons of mass destruction, but Baghdad denies the charge.   

'NO NEED FOR DISCUSSION'

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack acknowledged there was little the Bush administration could do to stop a member of Congress taking up Iraq's invitation.

"There's no need for discussion. What there is a need for is for the regime in Baghdad to live up to its commitment to disarm," he said during a visit by Bush to Pittsburgh.

He reiterated the Bush administration's view that eliminating any Iraqi capability to develop or acquire weapons of mass destruction was the goal of international pressure on Iraq, rather than just restarting inspections.

Hammadi said U.S. administrations had misled the U.S. public since Iraq invaded Kuwait 12 years ago.

"I don't think that you stand to lose anything if you were to take your decision after you have seen the truth as it is on the ground," his letter said.

Earlier Monday, around 3,000 Iraqis, burning American flags and an effigy of Bush, took part in a march in Baghdad organized  by parliament members to denounce U.S. threats to unseat Saddam.

"In spite of America, Saddam will stay forever," chanted the crowd.

U.S. fighter jets Monday attacked an air defense command and control facility in southern Iraq in response to attempts to shoot down American and British warplanes patrolling the area, the U.S. military said.

It was the 25th strike of the year by U.S. and British attack jets in northern and southern "no-fly zones," established after the 1991 Gulf War to protect minorities in the country.