Naji Sabri - 2003 Invasion of Iraq

2003 Invasion of Iraq

In the lead-up to the 2003 invasion, Sabri led Iraq's diplomatic efforts to weaken support for a US-led attack on Iraq. He worked to lobby support from Russia, China, India, and even Iraq's former enemy Iran. Sabri was also heavily engaged in talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix. In September 2002, Sabri officially announced to Annan that Saddam Hussein had agreed to a resumption of weapons inspections in Iraq.

In March 2003, while the invasion of Iraq was in its heated initial phase, a fatigued Sabri - last seen in Baghdad - publicly arrived in Damascus, Syria to the surprise of many. Sabri had managed to secure safe passage out of the country along a hazardous route. Sabri continued onto Cairo, Egypt, where his security was guaranteed by the Egyptian government. The United States also offered the Egyptian authorities a guarantee of Sabri's security while in Egypt.