BRITAIN REJECTS IRAQI WITHDRAWAL

A senior British official said on Feb. 26 that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's declaration of a withdrawal of his forces from Kuwait was not sufficient to stop the allied advance. The official said Saddam must personally declare full implementation of all United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The senior British official said Iraqi forces must abandon their military equipment in the theatre of operations, which he said includes areas of Iraq, and withdraw. Only then could a cease-fire be considered, he said.

The purpose of the requirement that Iraq leave its heavy weapons was to minimize the risk of allied casualties.

Saddam ``has not accepted full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions. In his message he has shown he is not even abandoning his claims on Kuwait,'' the official said. ``This implies he might well want to come back to it.''