Blair: action must be taken against Iraq
Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, has broken his silence
over the Iraqi issue, saying the world must act to stop Saddam
Hussein acquiring weapons of mass destruction.
The British leader, speaking for the first time since returning from
his summer break, stressed Saturday no decision had been taken
over whether there would be an attack - and whether Britain
would join in.
"Nothing has changed over the past few weeks. Nothing has
changed and my views have not changed," he said. "The issue of
weapons of mass destruction is an issue where the world cannot
stand by and allow Iraq to be in flagrant breach of all the United
Nations resolutions. "Doing nothing about Iraq's breach of these
UN resolutions is not an option. That's the only decision that's
been taken so far. What we do about that is an open question."
Blair went on to reject suggestions that international support for
an attack was waning. Asked if he was concerned that many states
had expressed opposition to an attack on Iraq, Blair urged
reporters to "wait and see what happens."
"I point you back, there is a track record we have," he said. "In
Kosovo and Afghanistan, we acted in both in a calm and
measured and sensible way and ... with the broadest possible
international support."
"There are lots of reasonable questions. All these questions will be
answered when the answers are there," he said.
Earlier, Foreign Minister, Jack Straw said an attack on Iraq was
unlikely in the near future. Straw warned Saddam Hussein that he
could "reduce the threat" of attack if he let in UN weapons
inspectors.
"Military action is neither imminent, and it can be made far less
than inevitable if Saddam Hussein complies with the clear United
Nations Security Council obligations upon him," Straw said.
"The option of using military force has to be there if there is a
failure by Saddam Hussein to comply with the obligations."
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