Iraq accuses Butler of fabrication

Deputy Foreign Minister Riyadh al-Qaisi said Richard Butler's request for weapons-related documents takes Iraq back to "square one" in its effort to end crippling sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.

"Why is it that now Mr. Butler is requesting all over again the same requests that were made in the past?" al-Qaisi asked.

"All we have, we gave. All we don't have, we stated we don't have," he told a news conference.

Butler asked last week for documents on Iraq's arms program and information on its biological weapons program - the field U.N. inspectors say they have the most questions about. Iraq has balked at the request, calling it an attempt to reignite a cri

AP PHOTO An Iraqi guard waves to weapons inspectors as their vehicles approach the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad yesterday.

sis.

"What do we see? No light at the end of the tunnel. What we see is the light of a locomotive coming head on at Iraq," al-Qaisi said.

His comments were the latest in a dispute that has raised again the specter of an attack on Iraq, days after Iraq narrowly averted airstrikes by allowing U.N. weapons experts to resume their inspections.

In Washington, Defense Secretary William Cohen said that the United States could still attack Iraq if it did not fully cooperate with the inspectors.

There are about 24,000 U.S. troops, about 210 aircraft and one aircraft carrier still in the Persian Gulf region.

Iraq reversed its two-week ban on the work of U.N. inspectors on Nov. 14 when faced with imminent airstrikes by U.S. and British forces.

The inspectors returned last week and, with the cooperation of the Iraqi government, they have since made daily visits to sites that could be used to build weapons of mass destruction.

Inspectors must certify that Iraq has eliminated its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, long-range missiles and the programs to build them before the Security Council can lift the sanctions, which have caused widespread malnutrition, hunger and poverty in the once-prosperous Arab country.

Al-Qaisi insisted that since inspections began in 1991, Iraq has provided all the documents inspectors need. Others that Butler requested were destroyed or irrelevant, he said.

The inspectors repeatedly have accused Iraq of trying to mislead weapons teams. They checked nine sites yesterday, including a surprise visit to a cigarette and tobacco company in Baghdad that is not under long-term surveillance, the Iraqi News Agency reported.

Earlier yesterday, U.N. envoy Prakash Shah returned to Baghdad, saying only that he would hold talks with Iraqi officials.

In London, Iraqi opposition groups gathered at the invitation of the British government. The groups planned to meet here today with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk, who held talks last week with Ahmed Chalabi, the head of Iraqi National Congress, an opposition umbrella group.

Riven by ethnic, religious and political differences, Iraqi opposition groups have posed little threat to the government. But the United States has turned to them in recent months with promises of political and financial support in hopes of overthrowing Saddam.

At the United Nations yesterday, Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Hamdoon delivered a letter to the Security Council from Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz reiterating Iraq's position.

Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Jeremy Greenstock, said Iraq was not fulfilling its promises.

"What this boils down to is less than full compliance, which is what they promised eight days ago," Greenstock said.

Iraq's official media continued to focus on the dispute with Butler. Al-Thawra, the newspaper of the ruling party, said Butler viewed Iraq's decision to resume inspections "as a personal victory, which he believes will enable him to take revenge."

"Butler sees Iraq not only as a personal opponent but as an enemy that needs to be harmed and crushed," it said.

Another newspaper, Babil, warned that the United States may attack Iraq within three weeks.

In the streets, the renewed prospect of a military strike seemed to generate little anxiety.

"The Iraqi people are becoming accustomed to such things, and they don't have any fear of it," said Salem Fadil, a 35-year-old vendor selling soap in Baghdad's bustling Shorja market.

Another shopkeeper, Salman Ali, called the crisis "ordinary."

"God willing, nothing will happen. We pray to God it doesn't, but we know that America doesn't respect world opinion," he said.

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