Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[pstuartb]

George -

Along the same lines as the Tehran Times article you posted, see this article "Belarus could offer Saddam refuge":

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,5764042%255E2703,00.html


But on the other hand, see this:


"30 Dec 2002 14:58
Belarus dismisses report it would shelter Saddam

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MOSCOW, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Belarus dismissed as conjecture on Monday a newspaper report saying Iraqi President Saddam Hussein might seek refuge in the ex-Soviet state if driven into exile.

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported on Sunday, after a Belarussian delegation visited Iraq, that isolated President Alexander Lukashenko could offer Saddam shelter if a U.S.-led military campaign drove him from Iraq.

Asked to comment on the Times report, presidential spokeswoman Natalya Petkevich told Reuters by telephone from Minsk: "For now there are no facts to talk about. Let conjecture be conjecture."

The West has accused Lukashenko of cracking down on opponents and stifling the media, and he is banned from visiting 14 of 15 European Union states as well as the United States.

But the leader of the opposition United Civilian Party, Anatoly Lebedko, said giving refuge to the Iraqi head could be a step too far by Belarus.

"This could only happen in one circumstance -- if Saddam came with billions packed in his suitcase," Lebedko said.

Minsk opposes any military action against Iraq and denounces what it calls U.S. aggression."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L30191405


http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=72546