- The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has dismissed George
Bush and Tony Blair's claims that the invasion of Iraq has made the world
safer.
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- His comments are likely to further infuriate the US and
UK governments, already irritated after he said the war with Iraq was illegal.
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- In a interview with the ITV1 Jonathan Dimbleby programme,
to be broadcast today, Annan said: "I cannot say the world is safer
when you consider the violence around us, when you look around you and
see the terrorist attacks around the world and you see what is going on
in Iraq."
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- Annan also dismissed the US-led Iraq Survey Group's (ISG)
claims that France, Russia and China had been prepared to ease sanctions
on Iraq in return for oil contracts, saying it was "inconceivable"
that Saddam Hussein's activities could have influenced policy in the countries
concerned.
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- In its final report, the ISG claimed that Saddam had
manipulated the UN oil-for-food programme to win support on the Security
Council for the lifting of sanctions. Washington seized on the report as
proof that sanctions and could not contain Saddam's ambition to acquire
WMD.
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- However, Annan said: "I think it's inconceivable,
these are very serious and important governments. You are not dealing with
banana republics."
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- While he accepted that Iraq was now on track to hold
elections in January, he said he would speak out if he was not satisfied
with them. He also warned the US that military action against Iran to stop
its nuclear programme could be illegal under the UN charter.
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- "I don't even want to contemplate it, because I
think it would be very unwise", he said.
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