World reaction to strikes
Thursday December 17, 1998
France was quick to dissociate itself from the United States and British air strikes on Iraq last night. In a major rift among Western allies, it said the strikes could have grave consequences for the Iraqi people.
A statement issued by the French authorities about an hour after the US and Britain launched the attacks said: "France deplores the escalation which led to the American military strikes against Iraq and the grave human consequences which they could have for the Iraqi people."
China and Russia angrily condemned the use of force against Iraq as an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council broke up after reports of the air strikes.
Although the German government regretted that force had been used, it supported the strikes and said Iraq had had plenty of chances to avert the attacks.
"The Iraq government was warned that the international community could not look away from its failure to comply with UN weapons inspectors," a spokesman for Chancellor Gerhard Schröder told German radio.
"The German government regrets that it had to come to the military measure." He later said the international community had repeatedly called on Iraq to comply with the Security Council resolutions. He said Iraq had not fulfilled a promise made on November 14 to comply with UN demands.
Israel, which endured Iraqi Scud attacks in the 1991 Gulf war, said it was not part of a showdown with Baghdad but vowed to defend itself if dragged into the conflict.
"We think that the chances of any attack on Israel by Iraqi missiles as a result of the American attack on Iraq are close to zero but we are prepared for any eventuality and we will take all the measures necessary, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's communications chief, David Bar-Illan, told Reuters.
Israeli spokesman Aviv Bushinsky said President Bill Clinton had discussed preparations for an attack with Mr Netanyahu just minutes before the US leader flew home from Israel on Tuesday after his three-day peace mission.
Mr Bushinsky said Mr Netanyahu was informed of the actual attack by White House officials only after it had taken place.
Yitzhak Mordechai, the Israeli defence minister, called a meeting of senior staff in Tel Aviv after the attacks were announced.
Mr Mordechai's office would not elaborate on the meeting or who was taking part, but the defence minister had earlier said that Israel was prepared for any possible US military action against Iraq.
"The United States is determined to use its forces so the UN inspectors can fulfil their obligations." Mr Mordechai said.
"We are following very closely. Preparations for our forces have been carried out and we will decide tonight on additional steps," he said.
Mr Mordechai did not specify what preparations Israel had taken as US bombers and warships stood ready to strike Iraq.
"The Israeli army does not detail its levels of readiness." an army spokesman said.
Mr Mordechai said batteries of US Patriot anti-missile weapons were in Israel after a Marine training drill last week and that further defences could be brought in at short notice if necessary. Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israel in 1991 killed one person, wounded scores and caused widespread damage in the Tel Aviv area.
The army opened emergency gas mask distribution centres twice this year as US-led attacks on Iraq appeared imminent. Mr Mordechai did not say whether gas mask depots would reopen.
Turkey, a Nato member, said last night it was saddened by news of a joint American-British military strike against Iraq and expressed hope that the attack would be a short one.
"The developments are very saddening," a Turkish foreign ministry spokesman told Reuters in Ankara.
"We have always wanted the situation in Iraq to return to normal and the embargo to be lifted by Iraq's full compliance with United Nations resolutions," he said.
"We hope the use of force does not continue for long," the Turkish spokesman said.