Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will expound his views on "the situation in the region in light of US threats" to attack his country, during an interview with Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite channel, the official INA news agency reported Wednesday.
In the interview, conducted on Wednesday and to be aired at an unspecified future date, Saddam Hussein spoke of "the repercussions of an (eventual) US aggression on Arab, regional and international security and stability," INA said.
The Iraqi ruler, in addition, explained "the real reasons behind the US administration's threats to resort to force against Iraq and any (Arab) country which seeks to master knowledge," according to INA.
Other issues tackled in the interview included "relations between Iraq and the United Nations, the need for the UN Security Council to honor its obligations toward Baghdad ... and the implications of Iraq's decision to readmit UN arms inspectors" after a break of nearly four years.
Questioned by AFP, Al-Jazeera declined to say when the interview would indeed be aired. The TV station dismissed the INA report, saying that channel chief Muhammed Jassim al-Ali's meeting with Saddam had been just a courtesy call and not an interview.
Al Jazeera's head of programming told Reuters from Qatar that if the station had secured an interview with Saddam, it would have advertised it long in advance. (Albawaba.com)
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