Iraq accepted the terms of the U.N. Security Council resolution calling for new weapons inspections with a letter yesterday that strayed remarkably far from the usually restrained language of diplomacy.

What follows are excerpts from the letter, which was signed by Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Naji Sabri and addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The letter was provided by the Associated Press.

Your Excellency,

You may recall the huge clamor fabricated by the President of the United States administration, in the biggest and most wicked slander against Iraq, supported in malicious intent, and spearheaded in word and malevolence, by his lackey Tony Blair, when they disseminated the claim that Iraq has perhaps produced, or was on its way to produce, nuclear weapons, during the time when the United Nations inspectors had been absent from Iraq since 1998.

Then they [said] that Iraq had in fact produced chemical and biological weapons. They both know, as well as we do, and so can other countries, that such fabrications are baseless.

But, does the knowledge of the truth constitute elements for interaction in the politics of our day, which has witnessed the unleashing of the American administration's evil to its fullest extent, dashing away all hope in any good? Indeed, is there any good to be hoped for, or expected, from the American administrations, now that they have been transformed by their own greed, by Zionism as well as by other known factors, into the tyrant of the age. ...

The [resolution] was adopted under the American Administration's pressure and threat that it would leave the United Nations if it did not agree to what America wanted, which is to say the least, extremely evil and shameful to every honest member of the United Nations who recalls the provisions of its Charter, and sees that some people feel ashamed on behalf of those who are shameless.

The aggression of the United States of America and its single-handed infliction of injustice and destruction on those subjected to its inequity in the forefront of whom are the Muslim and Arab believers, is the basic reason why America has withdrawn its ambassadors and other staff, closed its embassies, and restricted its interests in many parts of the world, while reaping the hatred of the peoples of the world due to its policies and aggressive objectives.

This is a situation which no other country in the world has experienced before, including the fathers of old colonialism. The Security Council, however, or indeed those who can basically play an influential role in it, have, instead of leaving the American administration and its lackey reap the result of their evil, saved wrongdoing rather than halted it. We shall see when remorse will not do any good for those who bite on their fingers. ...

We know that those who pressed the Security Council to adopt resolution No. 1441 have other objectives when making sure that Iraq had not developed mass destruction weapons in the absence of the inspectors since 1998. You are aware of how and who stood behind their absence. We also know that there are no true, just or fair reasons behind the adoption of this resolution in the name of the Security Council. ...

We hereby inform you that we will deal with resolution 1441, despite its bad contents, if it is to be implemented according to the premeditated evil of the parties of ill-intent, the important thing in this is trying to spare our people from harm. But we will not forget, nor should others do, that safeguarding our people's dignity, security, independence, and protecting our country, its sovereignty and sublime values, is as sacred a duty in our leadership's and government's agenda.

Therefore, and as we said in the foresaid agreement and press statement, we are prepared to receive the inspectors, so that they can carry out their duties, and make sure that Iraq has not developed weapons of mass destruction during their absence since 1998.

We hereby ask you to inform the Security Council that we are prepared to receive the inspectors within the assigned timetable. The parties concerned should bear in mind that we are in our holy month of Ramadan which means that the people are fasting, and this holy month will be followed by the Muslims' Eid [the post-Ramadan holiday]. Nevertheless, we will cooperate with the concerned U.N. bodies and officials on the background of all this, and of the tripartite, French-Russia-China, statement.

Dealing with the inspectors, the government of Iraq will also take into consideration their way of conduct, the intentions of those who are ill-intentioned among them and their improper approach in showing respect to the people's national dignity, their independence and security, and their country's security, independence and sovereignty.

We are eager to see them perform their duties in accordance with the international law as soon as possible. If they do so, professionally, and lawfully, without any premeditated intentions, the liar's lies will be exposed to public opinion and the declared objective of the Security Council will be achieved.

It will then become the lawful duty of the Security Council to lift the blockade and all the other unjust sanctions on Iraq. If it does not, all the peoples of good will in the world, in addition to Iraq, will tell it to do so. ...

Therefore, through you, we reiterate the same words to the Security Council: Send your inspectors to Iraq to make sure of this and everyone will be sure, if their way of conduct is supervised so that it becomes legal and professional, that Iraq has not developed weapons of mass destruction, whether nuclear, chemical or biological, as claimed by evil people.

The lies and manipulations of the American administration and British government will be exposed, while the world will see how truthful and adequate the Iraqis are in what they say and do.

But if the whims of the American administration, the Zionist desires, their followers, intelligence services, threats and foul temptation were given the chance to play and tamper with the inspection teams or some of their members, the colors would be then confused and the resulting commotion will distort the facts and push the situation into dangerous directions, which is something fair-minded people do not wish for, as well as the people who, including my government, want to bring forward the facts as they are.

The fieldwork and implementation will be the decisive factors that will reveal whether the intentions were really for the Security Council to make sure that Iraq is void of those alleged weapons, or whether the whole thing was nothing but an evil cover by those who were behind the resolution who have no scruples to utter debased slander and to tell lies to the public opinion including their own peoples.

So let the inspectors come to Baghdad to carry out their duties in accordance with the law, and then we will hear and see along with who wants to hear, see and move according to each one's responsibility and rights.

The final word and reference will still be resolution No. 687 with its obligations on both the secretary-general and Iraq, along with the code of conduct agreed upon in the agreement signed by the secretary-general in New York on 16th September, 2002, and the press statement of Hans Blix and ElBaradei in Vienna in 30 September - 1 October 2002. ...

Please assume your responsibilities, by saying and advising the unfair people that their unfairness to Muslims, faithful Arabs and to all, will be of dire consequences and that God, the Almighty is capable of doing everything. Tell them that the proud Iraqi people are faithful and Mujahid and who had fought the old colonialism, imperialism and aggression, including the tyrant's aggression for years and years. The price this courageous people paid to safeguard their independence, dignity and sublime principles was rivers of blood, with a lot of deprivation and loss of their riches, along with their eternal achievements and record which they are proud.

Therefore, we hope that you will, Mr. Secretary-General, advise the ignorants not to push things to the precipice, in the implementation, because the people of Iraq will not choose to live at the price of their dignity, country, freedom or sanctities, and they would rather make their lives the price if that was the only way before them to safeguard what they must safeguard.

I wish to inform your Excellency before I conclude this letter, that I intend to forward another letter to you on a later date, in which I shall state our observations, the measures and procedures, contained in SCR 1441 that are contrary to international law, U.N. Charter, the facts already established and the measure contained in previous relevant resolutions of the Security Council.

"Do ye secure He Who is in Heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes." (Allah's is the Word of Truth)

Allah is the Greatest

Naji Sabri

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Iraq