Agence France Presse -- English
February 15, 2000, Tuesday
HEADLINE: 70 US lawmakers call for end to Iraq sanctions
UN economic sanctions against Iraq have not toppled Saddam Hussein but have created a humanitarian crisis, and must be lifted, a group of 70 US lawmakers urged President Bill Clinton in a letter released Tuesday.
The bipartisan group from the House of Representatives, including the chamber's number two Democrat, David Bonior, said it supported maintaining the ban on sales of military equipment and materials to the regime.
But "while we have no illusions about the brutality of Saddam Hussein, the people of Iraq should be allowed to restore their economic system," they said, calling on Clinton to "do what is right: lift the economic sanctions."
Snip
And the ban effectively bars Iraq from acquiring materials to restore water purification, sewage treatment, medical infrastructure, transportation, electrical, agricultural and industrial production damaged in the 1991 Gulf War, they said.
Copyright 2001 Agence France Presse
March 27, 2001, Tuesday
HEADLINE: Annan, Iraqi officials discuss possible May talks
Snip
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had talks with the second-in-command in the Iraqi leadership on Tuesday just before an Arab summit that called for an end to crippling UN economic sanctions on Baghdad.
Agence France Presse -- English
February 26, 2001, Monday
HEADLINE: Iraq demands end to sanctions in first talks at UN for two years
Snip
But the Iraqi official's remarks contained no hint of compromise.
"We are going to explain in detail Iraq's position in regard to all aspects of all Security Council resolutions on the basis that Iraq has met all the requirements of those resolutions," he said.
"Now the role of the Security Council is to implement its mutual obligation towards Iraq. That means an immediate lift of sanctions."
Snip
Some other council members, including China, advocate a straightforward ending of sanctions.
The Evening Standard (London)
January 17, 2001
HEADLINE: Lifting sanctions is the best hope
Snip
While the arguing continues, the sanctions themselves are crumbling. On Monday the former US Attorney General, Ramsey Clark, and some 70 US activists met Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in Baghdad and urged the US to lift sanctions. An increasing number of humanitarian flights are landing in Baghdad while Western oil companies are eager to do business with Iraq, the world's second oil producer after Saudi Arabia.
United Press International
November 14, 2000, Tuesday
HEADLINE: Russian Foreign Minister's visit strengthens ties with Iraq
Snip
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov left Baghdad for Cairo Tuesday after a two-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with President Saddam Hussein and calling for an end to the United Nations embargo on Iraq.
XINHUA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
HEADLINE: Iraq Wishes to Reestablish Diplomatic Relations With France
May 19, 2000, Friday
Snip
The president of the Iraqi parliament, Saadoun Hammadi, said here on Friday that Iraq wishes to re- establish diplomatic relations with France which was cut at the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991.
During a meeting at the Institute of International Relations here,Hammadi said that such a move will help end the United Nations sanctions against Iraq.
He also called on France to help persuade the United Nations to lift its air embargo against Iraq and to release the Iraqi properties frozen in French banks.
Hammadi was invited by the France-Iraq Friendship group of the French Senate for a four-day visit, the highest level ever by an Iraqi official to a member country of the European Union since 1991.
France has called on the U.N. to alleviate its sanctions against Iraq.