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- DATE: JAN. 25, 1991 16:02 REPORT:
- TO: SPL
- FOR:
- CC:
- BUREAU: EAST
- BY: JOELLE ATTINGER FOR HOUK
- IN:
- SLUG: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
-
- In a statement to the secretariat of the United Nations,
- the Iraqi government is refuting claims that Baghdad is
- responsible for the massive oil spill in the Arabian
- Gulf, but rather that U.S. aircraft caused the spill by
- bombing two Iraqi tankers on Tuesday, January 22nd at
- 1:41 p.m. The slick, claim the Iraqis, "is bound to cause
- serious harm to the region's living marine resources and
- environment."
-
- In a clear bid to harness some support from the global
- environmental movement, the Iraqi government throws the
- green book at the United States. "This is not the first
- time the United States has damaged the environment, and
- exposed man and fauna to serious danger, by undertaking
- nuclear tests and dumping nuclear wastes and other toxic
- chemicals." The spill, continue the Iraqis, is but the
- latest in a long history of American environmental
- crimes. "Accordingly, Iraq appeals to world public
- opinion and to the organizations and individuals
- concerned, particularly to the 'greens', to denounce this
- criminal act and to do everything within their power to
- put an end to such acts."
-
- As might be expected, absolutely no mention is made of
- the Iraqi strikes against Saudi and Kuwaiti oil
- operations.
-
- ENDIT
-