Britain warns of "dangers" ahead in Iraq war

London - April 10, 2003 Britain on Thursday warned of "dangers" ahead as the ongoing US-led war against Iraq entered its 22nd day.There are still dangers we should not underestimate, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair told a Downing Street press briefing one day after the fall of downtown Baghdad to US marines."It is not over," the spokesman told reporters, adding that the fate of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein remains unknown.A US warplane dropped bombs Monday afternoon on a western Baghdad restaurant, where Saddam was believed to meet with his sons and favorites.

Also on Thursday, British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon struck asimilar note by warning that the fighting in Iraq was far from over.Coalition troops in Iraq were still "meeting pockets of resistance in Baghdad and elsewhere," Hoon told the Sky News television, adding that he expected this to continue for some time, perhaps several weeks."We have to guard against being over-optimistic," Hoon said.

The immediate priority now was to restore law and order in Iraq, Hoon said.Meanwhile, Blair stressed in his TV appearance broadcast on Thursday by the Sky News that Saddam's regime "is collapsing" and "that a new and better future beckons for the people of Iraq."

EU monitors US contracts in Iraq for WTO compliance

BRUSSELS, April 10 -- The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU), said Thursday it was monitoring US reconstruction contracts in Iraq to see whether they complied with WTO trade rules. "We are studying the contracts on a case-by-case basis to see if they respect WTO (World Trade Organization) rules," EU spokeswoman Arancha Gonzalez told a daily briefing. She said the United Stated had signed WTO accords that cover the provision of such contracts, but there were many exemptions to the rules, for example for national security.

"All we can do is to analyze each of the agreements," she said. "The last thing we need now is a row at the WTO."The United States has said postwar reconstruction in Iraq worth 1.9 billion US dollars would go to US firms by law, but half the rebuilding work will be opened up to subcontractors

Blair also reassured the Iraqi people that this time, coalition forces would not retreat to leave them at the mercy of Saddam, as what happened in 1991. He also promised humanitarian help and pledged: "The money from Iraqi oil will be yours." "We want to give you the chance to rebuild your country, to rebuild your lives, to give your families a chance of a better life," Blair concluded.

Blair's statement, recorded at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday when he met US President George W. Bush for a war summit, was expected to be aired on a new TV station, set up by coalition forces, directly to the Iraqi people later. The statement would be broadcast from America's specially-equipped "Commando Solo" C-130 Hercules aircraft circling in the skies over Iraq, reports said.

Coalition working with locals on security in Iraqi cities

DOHA, April 10 -- Security and stability have not been achieved in all of Iraq, and coalition forces are working with local community leaders to stabilize the situation in Iraqi cities, a US military officer said on Thursday."This operation is a long way from complete," and many areas around Iraq are "not yet stabilized," Major General Victor Renuart, operations director of the US Central Command, told a press conference.

Coalition forces are working with community leaders to maintain order in urban areas, Renuart said, adding that some senior Iraqi religious leaders have asked for coalition help in bringing looting in cities under control. Iraqis will be given the chance to express their opinions on their own future, Renuart said.Asked about the size of coalition forces in Tikrit, hometown of President Saddam Hussein which is likely to be his last stronghold, the US officer said there is not a substantial coalition military presence in the town now.

At the same press conference, Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, noting that sporadic resistance lingered on in Baghdad, said coalition forces drove back a group of Iraqi troops attempting to cross the Tigris River in boats.Humanitarian aid is increasingly important as each day passes, and Iraqis' food, water and medical needs must be tackled, Brooks said.

Blair, Bush to send TV message to Iraqis

LONDON, April 10 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush are to send a TV message to Iraqis later on Thursday, using a new television station to tell the local people that their country would "soon be free," the Downing Street said.The messages, recorded during their Tuesday summit at Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast, would be aired on a new TV station set up by coalition forces.The messages on a station called "Towards Freedom TV" would be broadcast from America's specially-equipped "Commando Solo" C-130 Hercules aircraft circling over Iraq.

In his TV appearance, Blair stresses that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime "is collapsing.""We did not want this war," Blair said. "But in refusing to give up his weapons of mass destruction, Saddam gave us no choice but to act. Now that the war has begun, it will be seen through to the end."

He also promises humanitarian help and pledges: "The money from Iraqi oil will be yours.""It is in the spirit of friendship and goodwill that we now offer our help," Blair said.In his address to the Iraqi people, Bush says: "American and coalition forces are now operating inside Baghdad." "And I assure every citizen of Iraq, your nation will soon be free.""The government of Iraq, and the future of your country, will soon belong to you," Bush says.

Wartime security plan to continue in New York

NEW YORK, April 9 -- Despite an anticipated victory on the Iraqi battlefield and a heavy financial burden, Operation Atlas, a wartime security plan, will continue in New York City, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Wednesday. He said that as the threat of terrorism remains, the wartime security will continue, but some changes will be made.

Kelly said many of the officers on counter-terrorism duty are exhausted, so he wanted to give them a break, adding that they would be working shorter days, but six days a week.

"You can't keep working them for 12 hours a day. It takes its toll," he said. Operation Atlas is already taking its toll on the city's finances. The much-touted security strategy, which has police at checkpoints, manning bridges and tunnels and patrolling landmarks,costs the city 5 million US dollars per week.

Officials said the situation will not change anytime soon. Instead, the Police Department will continue to move officers around. Kelly said his intelligence chiefs have studied 26 al-Qaeda terror manuals and remain convinced that mixing the places where the police are stationed can foil a terrorist plot.

"Atlas remains at full strength, but you may see it look different so that anyone doing reconnaissance on us wouldn't see apattern," he said.New York City is hoping that federal and state governments will pay for Operation Atlas, since Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered the city's police department to cut its budget by 7 percent.

British Foreign Secretary to head for Gulf to discuss Iraq

LONDON, April 10 -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Thursday that he would travel to the Gulf next week to discuss Iraq, amid reports that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's grip on Iraq is collapsing. Straw's announcement came only one day after the downtown area of Baghdad had been occupied by US forces.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Straw said he would also be speaking "shortly" to his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, and that Foreign Office minister Mike O'Brien would be heading to Syria and Iran, with the aim of discussing their role in Iraq's post-war reconstruction.

"Iraq's neighbors have important interests at stake," Straw told the lawmakers, "They, like us, want to see a stable and prosperous Iraq living in peace in the region." "Many of them have given valuable support to the military coalition. All will make an important contribution to the reconstruction phase," Straw added.

However, Straw did not specify when his trips would be made, or which Gulf countries he would be going to. Straw also warned Syria against helping what remains of Saddam's regime and urged the country to cooperate with US-led forces in Iraq.

"We look to Syria to end any assistance to the Iraqi regime," Straw said. But he added that it was "important to maintain dialogue" with Syria and Iran. The United States has been accusing Syria of providing military assistance to Iraq as well as shelter for members of the Iraqi government, an allegation Syria rejects.

Japan groping for information on journalist missing in Iraq

TOKYO, April 10 -- Japan is groping for information about a Japanese freelance journalist who has been missing since being last heard from in Iraq early this month, Kyodo News reported Thursday."We have not yet been able to confirm his whereabouts," a Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying of Moriaki Endo, 55, a video producer covering the US-led war on Iraq which started three weeks ago.

"What we can do is very limited in the war situation, and we are concerned about the safety of our nationals in Iraq considering that the civil order is expected to break down as the war comes to a close," the official said.

According to Kyodo, Endo's colleagues asked the ministry on Wednesday to search for him after fears arose he may have been detained by Iraqi police.

A group of freelance journalists headed by Endo said they last heard from him on April 2, and a Japanese national who recently returned from Baghdad said Iraqi police said on that day they had taken Endo into custody, Kyodo reported.The ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, saidmembers of Endo's family also received contact from him on April 2and have not heard from him since then.

"It may possibly be that he has been detained, but it could also be that he is busily engaged in his work covering the war andmay suddenly pop up. We cannot rule out any of the possibilities,"the official said.The US-led coalition announced Wednesday that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime has lost control over Baghdad while sporadic fighting in some parts of the country continued.

The number of Japanese nationals in Iraq remained the same overnight at 42 -- 10 individuals or members of citizens groups, 26 journalists and six members of non-governmental organizations, Kyodo added.

Powell: US to seek UN resolutions endorsing new Iraqi government

LOS ANGELES, April 10-- US Secretary of State Colin Powell said his country will seek UN resolutions endorsing a future Iraqi government, oil sales and humanitarian aid, The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday.

In an interview published by the newspaper, Powell said the United States and the coalition partners would take "a leading role" in post-war Iraq, and the United Nations would play "a vital role " in bringing stability and prosperity to the country. He added that they need an endorsement of authority to start oil sales and make sure the humanitarian supplies continue to flow in the oil-for-food program.Washington will likely seek more than one UN resolution on the issue, said Powell. As for recent US warnings to Syria and Iran, Powell noted that they should not be interpreted as threats of war.The official said they believe these countries should realize that pursuing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorist activities are not in their interest. -keralamonitor.com