07-F-1136 released allawi

REPlJBLIC OF IR:\Q Prime minister's office 12:~~~ 2004/7/8 ~-:ullll Statement by the Pdme :Minister of Iraq, Dr. Iyad Allawi There has been repeated doubt and questioning b:y members of the press and the Irnqi nnd Inte•·nntiomd community in regm·ds to the previous Snddnm Hussein regime owne1·ship of \Veapons of :Mass Dest1·uction thnt could threaten globnl peace and stnbility. I can now announce that the United States Dep~utment of Defense ~md Depm·tment of Energy have completed n joint operntion to secure nnd remove from l1·11q radiological and nuclear nulterials that the ousted regime could h~we potentially used in a radiological dispersal device m· diverted to support ~1 nucle~w weapons program. 1.77 metdc tons of low-enriched uranium and roughly 1000 highly radioactive sources from the former I1·aq nuclem· research facility have been found in Iraq and safely transported to the United States. Additiomd less sensitive mated~ds th~1t will remain in Ir~1q has been •·ep~1ck~1ged 11ccm·ding to the highest stand~wds and intermltiomd regulations by the US Department of Energy in ~1ddition to the continual use of •·adiological sources that serve as useful medical, agricultm·al or industdal purposes. Iraq has no intention and no '''ill to •·esume these programs in the futon, these materials which are potential '''eapons of mass mm·de•· are not welcome in our country and their production is unacceptable. \Ve are now in a new era, ~1n ern of p1·oviding for our people and insuring them that theil· government will direct its resources towards economic g•·owth and m1tional s~1fety and security. The Iraqi gove1·nment will no longer spend the riches of its m1tion on these destructive and illegal weapons, we are DO\\' at a time when we are devoted to imp1·ove the welfm·e of our nation and re-join the intermltiom1l markets through direct p~wtnership with all nations.