Former Ambassador Pamela Hyde Smith Speeches

 Ambassador Pamela Hyde Smith's interview on the Iraq problem to Moldovan National TV

October 22, 2002

- What is the official position of the U.S. Government on the Iraq problem?

- Imi pare foarte bine de avea prilejul sa vorbesc cu dumneavoastra.....

The United States' first priority is to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.These weapons are in breach of international law. Under a series of UN Security Council Resolutions that Iraq agreed to after the Gulf War, Iraq is obliged to destroy its holdings of these weapons under the supervision of UN inspectors.

We prefer to let the UN disarm Iraq, as it is supposed to do. But Iraq has not let the UN inspectors in to do their job since 1998.

As President Bush has said "the time for denying, deceiving and delaying has come to an end. Saddam Hussein must disarm - or, for the sake of peace, the U.S. will lead a coalition to disarm him."

The U.S. is not rushing to war. The use of military force has always been, and will remain, the last resort. President Bush said yesterday that we are trying diplomacy "one more time," in the hope that Saddam will disarm peacefully.

The United States, since September 12, has worked 'carefully with the UN Security Council to form a resolution to establish a strong new inspection regime and define the consequences of non-compliance. Yesterday we proposed such a resolution.

The U.S. Congress has passed a resolution of its own that makes it clear to Saddam Hussein that his only choice is full compliance, and that the United States speaks with one voice.

We do not want to wait for the indisputable proof of Iraq's weapons programs to come to us in the form of a mushroom cloud.

- How, in your view, can the Iraq crisis affect the Republic of Moldova?

Saddam Hussein is the world's most brutal dictator. He should not be allowed to continue ignoring his obligations under international law, and go on amassing an arsenal chemical and biological weapons.

Saddam is a threat to the peace and stability of all nations. Should he be allowed to pursue his ultimate ambition - nuclear weapons - no place in the world will be safe, including Moldova.

Saddam Hussein has defied and deceived the UN Security Council for over a decade. He has chemical and biological " weapons, he is actively seeking nuclear weapons, he has supported terrorists and terrorism, and he has used terror against his own people.

The world has tried UN inspections that didn't work. We have tried economic sanctions, and watched Iraq use billions of dollars in illegal oil revenues to fund more weapons purchases and build palaces for Saddam, rather than providing for the needs of the Iraqi people .

We have tried limited military strikes to destroy Iraq's facilities building weapons of mass destruction - only to see them openly rebuilt, while the regime denies they even exist.

The world has tried no-fly zones to keep Saddam from terrorizing his people - and in the last year alone, the Iraqi military has fired on British and American pilots more than 750 times.

The danger from the Iraqi regime is already significant, and it only grows worse with time. Iraq has a massive stockpile of chemical and biological weapons that has never been accounted^: or and is capable of killing millions.

Surveillance photos reveal that (the regime is rebuilding facilities that it has used to produce chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein also has the means of delivery at his disposal.

If the Iraqi regime is able to produce, buy, or steal an amount of highly– enriched uranium, a little larger than a softball, it could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year. Saddam Hussein would then be able to blackmail anyone, or any country, dominate the Middle East, and pass nuclear technology to terrorists.

The threat Saddam Hussein poses is a threat not just to America, but to all nations, including Moldova.

- How would you comment the Mr. Soros's statement about the federalization plan for Moldova?

First, Mr. Soros is one of the most brilliant financiers and philanthropists in history. We have enormous respect for what he does to promote open society.

Regarding the Transnistrian issue, I would like to say that the US welcomes everyone's right to speak their mind.

However, I want to assure you the US Government supported the mediators' federalization plan because we believe it will be good for Moldova.

We are not carving up spheres of influence with Russia.

We do NOT expect any kind of foreign protectorate to emerge from this proposal.

We DO expect a democratic, integrated, economically viable Moldova to emerge, stronger Moldova, or we would not be supporting this idea.