March 27, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 23, 1424

DOHA, March 26: The United States will not listen to calls for a ceasefire in its war with Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell said in an interview with the Al Jazeera television network on Wednesday.

“It would merely delay the inevitable and give (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein some chance to believe that he could avoid the serious consequences that he has caused to befall his regime,” Mr Powell said.

He explained: “We are interested in concluding this conflict, not having a pause right now or stopping right now, but concluding this as quickly as possible so we can get on with the rebuilding of Iraq and putting in place a better system of governance.”

Mr Powell was at pains to underline that he remained in close contact with US allies in the Arab world.

“I have conveyed to them what our strategy is: to conduct this war in as effective a way as we can, doing everything we can to minimize casualties, minimize damage to property,” he added.

AL JAZEERA: In an interview with National Public Radio, the secretary of state accused the Qatar-based satellite broadcaster of a lack of objectivity.

“Al Jazeera has an editorial line and a way of presenting news that appeals to the Arab public,” he said. “They watch it and they magnify the minor successes of the regime.

“And they tend to portray our efforts in a negative light,” Mr Powell said, adding that he hoped Al Jazeera would report on US efforts to improve the lives of the Iraqi people as the conflict continued and after it is over.

“We will see what Al Jazeera is reporting after we have defeated this regime and the United States ... working with others, working with the UN start to bring in humanitarian supplies, medical supplies, a reconstruction effort and put in place a better life for the people of Iraq,” he said.

“I hope Al Jazeera is going to be around to watch that and report that to the Arab public and I think at that point, the Arab public will realize that we came in peace, we came as liberators, not conquerors,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Al Jazeera, which was the first broadcaster to show videotapes of dead and captured US troops in Iraq, said its viewership had jumped 10 percent since the war began last week.

The POW footage provoked fury from US and British officials who called it a violation of the Geneva Conventions.—AFP