Salih: It Is A Big Lie And Slander That There Were Weapons Of Mass Destruction In Iraq

ANKARA - Iraqi Ambassador in Ankara Talib Abid Salih said on Monday that it was a big lie and slander that there had been weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Salih visited Labor Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek.
Noting that IP's pro-peace position also reflected attitude of Turkish people, Salih said, ''Iraq is Turkey's brother, and this has been proved by people of Turkey.''
Stressing that Iraq had been cooperating with the U.N. weapon inspectors, putting forward its pro-peace attitude, Salih said, ''however, the U.S. administration is still in favor of war.''
Defending that 45-minute meeting of leaders on Azores island meant that ''the United States is not aware of what it is doing'', Salih said, ''it is big lie and slander that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.''
Replying a question which said, ''there are rumors that Iraq offered forty billion U.S. dollars to Turkey to say 'no' to the United States. Is it true?'' Salih said, ''we don't make bargaining for our relations with Turkey, but the United States does it. Because this is disrespectfulness. The United States thinks that it can purchase attitude of all peoples in the world with money.''
Replying another question, Salih said Saddam Hussein's going into exile was out of question, Salih said, ''It is Bush who has to leave his country because he is the man who wants war.''
When asked whether Iraqi people and administration were ready for war, Salih said, ''yes, they are ready for this war. What do you do to invaders? People always have the strength. Are we going to throw flowers? Palestine is an example.''
Meanwhile, IP leader Perincek said that Turkey would absolutely ''resist'' against the demands of the United States.
Claiming that the motion on deployment of foreign troops in Turkey would not pass from the parliament if it was submitted again, Perincek said, ''the United States is not Turkey's ally, but it is Turkey's strategic enemy.''
Noting that Iraq's territorial integrity was Turkey's territorial integrity, Perincek claimed that there were nearly two thousand PKK terrorists, CIA peshmergas and Jewish Kurds aboard U.S. ships that were waiting off southern Iskenderun port.
(MS-AÖ) 17.03.2003