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The Jordan Times, April 5 http://www.jordantimes.com/Fri/homenews/homenews3.htm TREIBIL/AMMAN — The Iraqi Red Crescent has rejected a shipment of humanitarian assistance donated by their Jordanian counterpart and ordered the trucks loaded with medicine to return to Amman, sources said Thursday. The sources, who spoke with The Jordan Times at the Iraqi border crossing, said they were instructed by the Iraqi Red Crescent Society to return the six trucks loaded with humanitarian aid that have remained at the crossing point since their arrival. In transit from Ruweished to Amman, President of Jordan Red Crescent Society Mohammad Hadid told The Jordan Times Thursday night that he had received a letter from his Iraqi counterpart earlier in the day. “[The letter] informed us that they would not accept any humanitarian assistance or medical relief. They said that they only wanted us to condemn the aggression against Iraq, the killing of civilians and the violation of International Humanitarian Law, particularly the bombardment of the Red Crescent Hospital several days ago, which caused damage to the hospital and left several injured.” Hadid added that he did not know what would become of the trucks, explaining that he had contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross in Baghdad to find out additional information about the shipment, but could not provide anything further in that regard. When asked if shipments were being refused from other countries as well, Hadid said he believed aid from all Red Crescent Societies was being refused and that Jordan was not being targeted specifically. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Jordan Times, was signed by the chairman of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, Hisham Salman Saadon and read: “We apologise but we cannot accept any humanitarian assistance. We urge you to work to denounce the inhuman practices and to end the aggression against our country ... We urge you to demand an immediate stoppage to the aggression.” The drivers of the six trucks, which have been waiting at the border for the last two days, said that only trucks loaded with goods purchased by Iraq in line with the oil-for-food programme were being allowed to cross. All humanitarian assistance was being refused and returned to the Kingdom, they added. pg _______________________________________________ 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