Niger president challenges Blair government over uranium allegations

[Aidoneus]

Niger president challenges Blair government over uranium allegations
By Barbara Slaughter
5 August 2003

The prime minister of Niger, Hama Hamadou, has demanded that British prime minister Tony Blair put up or shut up over his continued allegations that Saddam Hussein had sought to purchase uranium from the African country.

In his first interview since it was claimed that his country had been approached by Iraq, Hamadou told Britain’s Sunday Telegraph, on July 28, that Blair must produce proof of the allegation. Niger had never had diplomatic or bilateral relations with Iraq, he said, accusing the British and US government of mistreating his country, which sent 500 troops to support the Gulf War in 1991, by making the claim.

“Is this how Britain and America treat their allies? If Britain has evidence to support its claim then it has only to produce it for everybody to see. Our conscience is clear. We are innocent,” Hamadou said.

Pointing out that neither Britain nor the US has made a formal accusation of any wrongdoing by his government, he said that the claim originated in efforts by those governments to win public support for their war against Iraq. “Everybody knows that the claims are untrue,” he added.

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http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/aug2003/nig-a05.shtml

[grytpype]

1. I love it. n/t

.

[bemildred]

2. Shit, don't these people know their place?

We'll have to send Wolfie down there to explain the great
danger they are in to them.