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WorldViewIraq Reacting Strongly to U.S. Government Claims It Neglects CitizensAired March 1, 2000 - 6:12 p.m. ETTHIS 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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