Iraq's UN envoy concedes defeat in war
( 2003-04-10 09:06 ) (7 )

With the fall of Baghdad, Iraq's U.N. ambassador declared Wednesday, "the game is over" - and became the first Iraqi official to concede defeat in the US-led war.

Mohammed Al-Douri expressed hope that the Iraqi people will now be able to live in peace.

"My work now is peace," he told reporters outside his New York residence. "The game is over, and I hope the peace will prevail. I hope the Iraqi people will have a happy life."

Al-Douri was asked what he meant when he said "the game is over."

"The war," he responded.

His comments were the first admission by an Iraqi official that coalition forces had overwhelmed Iraqi troops after a three-week campaign.

Two weeks ago, during a heated U.N. debate, Al-Douri accused the United States of "criminal aggression" against Iraq and warned the US-led coalition was "about to start a real war of extermination that will kill everything and destroy everything."

The outburst caused US Ambassador John Negroponte to walk out of the open Security Council meeting, saying he'd "heard enough."

On Wednesday, when asked about Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Al-Douri said he had no "relationship with Saddam."

"I have no communication with Iraq," the ambassador said.

Questioned about Al-Douri's comments, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said: "Well, I would say it wasn't a game, first."

Rumsfeld added that there was still lots of "difficult, dangerous" work ahead in Iraq.

Earlier, Al-Douri told Associated Press Television News: "This is a war, and there will be a winner and someone who is a loser."

When asked what he thought about scenes broadcast Wednesday from Baghdad, he said: "Well I don't know really, I watch the television like you."

He said that because of the war he has been unable to contact any government officials "for a long time."