IRAQ: RUSSIAN POLITICIAN VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY VISIT скачать в хорошем качестве

IRAQ: RUSSIAN POLITICIAN VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY VISIT

(13 Feb 1998) English/Nat Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russia's extreme-nationalist politician, on Thursday called for Russia to send troops to defend Iraq - if it is attacked by the United States. With air strikes possibly only days away, ordinary Iraqis believe that the U-S simply wants to destroy their country. In a sign that military action could be imminent, the U-N on Thursday advised all relief workers on leave from jobs in Iraq not to return, in order to keep them out of harm's way. At the beginning of his first full day in Baghdad, ultra-nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky headed for the Iraqi National Assembly for a meeting with Iraqi politicians. Zhirinovsky claims to be a close friend of Saddam and his current trip is the fourth to Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War. The Russian politician hasn't come alone - on this trip he has been joined by seven other members of Russia's parliament and two dozen journalists. As always, Zhirinovsky gave the media enough to report on: while Moscow has officially stated it opposes U-S action against Iraq - the outspoken politician went one step further. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We would like to ask our president to send our troops to Baghdad - if we have an invitation from the Iraq government. We have an agreement between Russia and Iraq from 1971 and we must help Iraq - we must. And I address from my party - on behalf of my group of deputies in the Russian parliament - the Russian government must help the Iraq government to defend, to protect against the bombing of Iraq." SUPER CAPTION: Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russian ultra-nationalist leader Later in the day, the other members of the Russian delegation visited a site which has become a memorial to the "martyrs" of the Gulf War. Seven years ago, on the evening of 13 February, two U-S missiles hit the Amiriya air raid shelter in Baghdad, killing 403 people - including 52 children and 261 women. Today, the shelter is a shrine to those who lost their lives and the pictures of those who died adorn the walls. One of the young victims was two-year-old Mustafa. His mother has become known as the "Mother of Ghaidah" - she has devoted her life to preserving the shelter as a shrine. She gave the Russian delegation a first-hand account of the Amiriya bombing. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...