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Sun, April 14, 2002, 21:49 GMT European lawmakers in ``visit of solidarity�� to Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq, Apr 14, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- A delegation of European lawmakers, physicians and Gulf War veterans from Britain and France arrived in Baghdad Sunday to assess the effects of 11-year-old U.N. sanctions as well as depleted uranium used in NATO munitions during the 1991 war, the official news agency reported. The 130-person delegation includes demobilized French and British soldiers who fought Iraqi forces in the 1991 U.S.-led Gulf War that ended Iraq's seven-month occupation of Kuwait, the Iraqi News Agency reported. The soldiers were reportedly suffering from illnesses linked to depleted uranium used in Gulf War weapons, according to INA. It offered no other details. Iraq claims depleted uranium is responsible for an increase in cancer rates and birth defects in the country. The World Health Organization was planning to investigate the allegations, while NATO countries have repeatedly denied the ammunition could have triggered cancer in their soldiers. U.S. aircraft used munitions containing depleted uranium, a slightly radioactive heavy metal, during the 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999, as well as in Bosnia in 1994 and 1995. The munitions, favored because they have the rare ability to pierce tanks, were also used during the 1991 Gulf War. INA said the purpose of the two-week visit is to "express solidarity" with the Iraqi people and to examine the shortages in medicine and medical supplies in Iraqi hospitals as a result of U.N. sanctions since 1990. Iraq says the sanctions have crippled its health services. The sanction cannot be lifted unless U.N. weapons inspectors verify that Iraq has dismantled its weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors left the country ahead of U.S.-British airstrikes in December 1998 and have been barred from returning since. Iraq says it has complied with all relevant U.N. resolutions and wants the sanctions lifted. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
