Kazakhstan Believes Saddam Hussein Responsible for Conflict

Says It Has Moral Right to Demand Nonproliferation from Others

WASHINGTON, March 31 - Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry on March 21 said Saddam Hussein was responsible for the start of military operations in Iraq, but also expressed concern about the international community's lack of unity over the crisis.

"The responsibility for the latest developments (around Iraq) lies with Saddam Hussein who has failed to provide convincing evidence of his country's disarmament," Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister Alikhan Smailov said. Having renounced the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal and having worked with the IAEA and international inspectors, Kazakhstan has "a moral right to demand from other nations to conduct policies of nonproliferation in the name of ensuring global security," he added.

"Unfortunately, there is a trend toward the split of public opinion on the Iraqi problem. This can have unpredictable consequences for the world, and Saddam Hussein is responsible for that," Smailov noted. He said Kazakhstan regrets the unfortunate loss of human life accompanying the war.

"The military actions in Iraq have resulted from the lack of unity among nations on this problem, which makes one think of the need to reform the UN," the diplomat added. Earlier last week, the Foreign Ministry said Kazakhstan remained an "active member" of the U.S.-led international antiterrorist coalition, and was looking forward to working further with the United States. It also called for strengthening the role and authority of the United Nations in ensuring global peace and security.

Smailov also said Kazakhstan's economy would not be affected by the war in the short term, due to the existence of the $2-billion National Fund, low external debt and the fact that raw materials sector account for only 15 percent of the GDP.
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