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Campaign to End Iraq Sanctions -- Ireland 125 Winter Garden, Pearse Street, Dublin 2 ph: 01 6727803; email: info@endiraqsanctions.net Nov 11, 2002 Press Release The Campaign to End Iraq Sanctions expresses grave concerns about the events over the past week. Rather than edging us towards peace, they are moving towards war. The failure to take into account the warnings of Hans Blix could prove disasterous. Contact in Baghdad: Michael Birmingham, Co-founder of the Camapign is currently in Iraq working with the Iraq Peace Team and adds the following statements. Michael can be contacted @ Al Rashid Hotel, Room 506. ph (9641) 7177440, 7188007, 7172883 Local Contacts: Sandeep Vaidya, 01 6727803, Suzie Flood 087 6532598 "The decision tonight by the Iraqi government to agree to the terms of last weeks UN Security Council resolution should not be seen as a sign that war is less inevitable. The UN's resolution left Iraq with no real option but to agree in full with all its requirements or face "serious consequences" seen around the world as US code for war. This statement represents Iraqi compliance with the first term, unconditional acceptance of the resolution within 7 days. The remaining obligations will prove not just difficult to adhere to, they are more than likely impossible. The next stage of this process is for Iraq to make a full disclosure regarding all its chemical, biological and nuclear programmes (including those not related to weapons development). This must be done by 8th of December. Prior to the resolution being passed unanimously by the UN Security Council, Hans Blix questioned whether Iraq could realistically fulfill this requirement in relation to its enormous legitimate chemical industry. If Hans Blix was right, and Iraq however determined its efforts proves unable to do this, the US will claim Iraq is in breech of the resolution. We could at that point be facing war. A report today by Medact, a group of British Heath professionals has said that a war against Iraq could kill 500,000 civilians. It is also clear from speaking with senior UN officials on the ground in Iraq this week, that the Iraqi population does not have the resources to withstand this war. If Iraqi society is to be spared a war which will guarantee nothing but further death and suffering for ordinary people, those concerned to avert war must act now. If people wait for each stage of this process to play out, we will find that the trigger for war that has been built into this resolution will activate and it will be too late to stop it." All quotes from Michael Birmingham, currently in Baghdad. _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk