ad info




CNN.com
 MAIN PAGE
 WORLD
 U.S.
 LOCAL
 POLITICS
 WEATHER
 BUSINESS
 SPORTS
 TECHNOLOGY
 SPACE
 HEALTH
 ENTERTAINMENT
 BOOKS
 TRAVEL
 FOOD
 ARTS & STYLE
 NATURE
 IN-DEPTH
 ANALYSIS
 myCNN

 Headline News brief
 news quiz
 daily almanac

  MULTIMEDIA:
 video
 video archive
 audio
 multimedia showcase
 more services

  E-MAIL:
Subscribe to one of our news e-mail lists.
Enter your address:
Or:
Get a free e-mail account

 DISCUSSION:
 message boards
 chat
 feedback

  CNN WEB SITES:
CNN Websites
 AsiaNow
 En Español
 Em Português
 Svenska
 Norge
 Danmark
 Italian

 FASTER ACCESS:
 europe
 japan

 TIME INC. SITES:
 CNN NETWORKS:
Networks image
 more networks
 transcripts

 SITE INFO:
 help
 contents
 search
 ad info
 jobs

 WEB SERVICES:

  Transcripts

WorldView

Iraq Reacting Strongly to U.S. Government Claims It Neglects Citizens

Aired March 1, 2000 - 6:12 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq is reacting strongly to U.S. government claims it spends millions of dollars on new palaces while most of its people suffer. WORLDVIEW aired a report Tuesday in which U.S. officials alleged the palaces are funded with money made from illegal sales of Iraqi oil. A U.N. program allows Iraq to sell oil to buy food and medicine. But U.S. officials say the money buys alcohol and other luxury items. Iraqi officials Wednesday denounced the allegations as baseless.

CNN's James Martone reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Lies" is how Baghdad has reacted to Washington's accusations that the Iraqi regime is splurging on luxuries while ordinary citizens suffer.

TAHA YASSIN RAMADAN, IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT (through translator): We could talk from now until next year of the American administrations lies against Iraq, especially Clinton's lies. The Iraqi government does not import alcohol or anything else of the kind. The Iraqi government leads an Islamic country that watches out for the faith of its people, unlike the country Clinton leads.

MARTONE: Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan added that individual citizens were free to import what they wanted from neighboring countries. Ramadan made the remarks, while inaugurating a new rest stop at the border town of Ar Ar (ph), for Iraqi pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia.

This week, U.S. State Department spokesman Jamie Rubin accused Baghdad of neglecting poor Iraqis under sanctions. He said Washington had evidence that showed Iraq's leadership is using smuggled fuel to pay for cigarettes, whiskey, beer and presidential palaces.

JAMES RUBIN, U.S. STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: To pay for these palaces and these luxury goods for Saddam Hussein's family, Saddam Hussein himself and his supporters, the regime, is sending -- selling oil outside of the "oil for food" program and in violation of U.N. sanctions.

MARTONE: Iraq's government freely admits it is selling fuel in contravention of U.N. sanctions. (on camera): Vice President Ramadan said that the government's money is the people's money, money that's spent on projects like the border crossing at Ar Ar.

(voice-over): As for the palaces, Iraq's leadership says it will continue to build and rebuild what it says are symbols of its sovereignty.

James Martone, CNN, on the Iraqi-Saudi border.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www. fdch. com

  ArrowCLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S TOPICS AND GUESTS
ArrowCLICK HERE FOR CNN PROGRAM SCHEDULES
SEARCH CNN.com
Enter keyword(s)   go    help

Back to the top   © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.