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Fumy' October 8,1999 IdlE tSaiUCCOClj Rase 3 Iraq seeks discourse with American leaders by John Halaby Associated Press A/vfiAAN, Jordan — Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has sent a message to President Clinton, promising major political re forms in Iraq and offering to stop threatening Israel, a leading Arabic news paper reported Thursday. The London-based Al-Hayat news paper said the message includes an offer for unconditional talks with the United States and assurances that Iraq will play an effective role in the Middle East peace process. The message is being carried by Jor dan’s King Abdullah II, who is scheduled to meet with Clinton on Tuesday in Wash ington. Before leaving for London on Wednes day en route to Washington, Abdullah confirmed to Jordanian reporters that he was carrying a message from Saddam to Clinton. He refused to give details. “I can’t comment on that, but I have a message to pass on,’’Abdullah was quot ed as saying by Jordanian newspapers Thursday. Administration officials, however, doubted that Iraq would make a serious overture to the United States through Ab dullah. “The Iraqis regularly seek to have dis cussions with American officials, and we’re not interested in those discussions,” State Department spokesman James P. Rubin said Wednesday. If the Al-Hayat report is correct, it would mark a major turnaround in Iraq’s hard-line policies and show a willingness to mend fences with its main enemies, the United States and Israel. In return, Iraq wants Washington to drop its threats to put Saddam and his se nior aides on trial as war criminals, Al Hayat said. Iraq’s change of heart could also be linked to its demand that the United States drop its opposition to the lifting of U.N. economic sanctions, imposed in 1990 af ter Saddam’s forces invaded Kuwait. Al-Hayat said the Iraqi leadership ex pressed readiness to start political reforms that would include a new constitution, adopting a multiparty system and respect for human rights. Iraq has been ruled by the Baath Par ty for the last 31 years, 20 of them under Saddam, whose tight control on power and intolerance for dissent have driven most opponents out of the country. In his message, Saddam also proposed providing guarantees that it will “play an effective role in the [Middle East] peace process and stop its threats against the Jewish state and neighboring countries.” Jordanian newspapers quoted Ab dullah as saying the message was hand ed over by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz to Jordanian Prime Minister Abdur Ra’uf S. Rawabdeh last week. Abdullah said he intends only to de liver the message and not speak on be half of Iraq. Asked if he will defend Iraq before U.S. officials, he said: “Ab solutely not.” Jordanian and Iraqi officials refused to elaborate on the contents of the mes sage. UPS ends handgun delivery by ground by Shelley Hill Associated Press Atlanta—United Parcel Service said Thursday it will stop delivering hand guns through its regular ground service because die weapons are too easily stolen from the company’s trucks. Atlanta-based UPS, which handles the vast majority of firearms shipments, will allow customers to ship handguns only through its more expensive air ser vice beginning Monday. “This is the best way for us to add security to the movement of these weapons,” UPS spokesman Norman Black said Black estimated hundreds of handguns are stolen from the carrier each year. UPS’s Next Day Air service is a sep arate, more controlled system in which packages are handled by fewer people and stay in the system for only one night, Black said The company will continue to ship rifles and shotguns by ground because they are more difficult to steal. Industry leaders say UPS handles about 75 percent of guns sent from man ufacturers to distributors and nearly all firearms shipped from distributors to dealers. UPS's biggest competitor. Federal Express, has restricted guns to its Pri ority Overnight service for 20 years. Airborne Express, the No. 3 express carrier, also restricts guns to air ship ments. The Postal Service will not ship handguns unless they are being sent to a law enforcement agency or among gun dealers and makers. • Jim Chambers, executive director of the Sporting Arms and Ammuni tion Manufacturers’institute, said ship ping handguns via air could cost three to four times more than ground ship ment, although Black said that estimate Is “completely out of the ballpark.” Even so, Chambers said the gun in dustry will look at alternatives to air shipments.. “We’re not interested in a haphaz ard way to sliip firearms though the sys tem,” he added. “We don’t want to see firearms get into the wrong hands anymore than anyone else does.” World Briefs ■ Bomb expodes on bus in Pakistan, kills one Karachi, Pakistan (AP) — A powerful bomb ripped through a city bus in south ern Pakistan today, killing one person and injuring 18 others, some of them seri ously, hospital officials said. Hospital officials said one person died in the bombing that occurred during evening rush hour in Karachi, the coun try’s largest city with 14 million peo ple. Police had said earlier that five people were killed. No one took immediate responsibil ity for the bombing. 0T. ■ BP warns against using cell phones at gas pumps Cleveland (AP) — BP Amoco plans to . warn customers against using cellular tele phones at its gasoline pumps in the Unit ed States amid concern that electronic impulses could start a fire. The risk is slight, but London-based BP Amoco doesn’t want to take any chances, said Linda McCray, a company spokeswoman in Cleveland. The com pany will post warning signs at Amoco and BP stations by the end of the year. She said customers still will be al lowed to use cell phones away from gas pumps. ^ ~~ INCKDItLl SALE PRICES ON NSW KAYAKS! ALL P.F.D.S ON SALtl Walk away with a GREAT DEAL on a used canoe or kayak at River Runner's RENTAL BOAT SALE! 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