New Delhi: Iraq on January 25 asserted that it would "stand up and fight back
fiercely" if attacked by the United States and appealed to India to "firmly" oppose
any American move for a war.
"If the US administration wages a war against Iraq, we have no choice but to stand
up and fight. We will not turn the other cheek. We will fight fiercely and use every
method to inflict damage on the invaders," visiting Iraqi National Assembly Speaker
Sadoom Hammadi told reporters.
Observing that Baghdad was "militarily and economically organised to defend our
homeland", he dismissed as "wishful thinking" the possibility of change in Iraqi
leadership, saying President Saddam Hussein had got "full support" of his people in
a referendum last year.
Hammadi, who attended a three-day conference in New Delhi earlier this week to mark
the golden jubilee of Indian Parliament, said, "India is an important country with a
good name. It is influential and it is respected. We have very good relations with
India."
Asked what role he expected New Delhi to play in resolving the Iraqi crisis, he
said, "India should stand firm against any move towards a war and oppose a
war."
On the possibility of his meeting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, he said, "I
wish an opportunity is granted. I am here till Monday morning."
PTI
