Iraqi television broadcast a tape Thursday of President Saddam Hussein talking to a group of Western hostages in an apparent attempt to show they were not being mistreated.
He told the English-speaking group of children and adults gathered in an office: "Your presence here and other other places is meant to prevent war."The hostages in Iraq and Kuwait include about 3,000 Americans and 3,000 Britons caught up in the Persian Gulf crisis. The nationalities of those shown on TV was not known, but some spoke with British accents.
Saddam was shown sitting in a business suit, patting the Western children on the head. He was surrounded by army officers and an interviewer who provided a translation of his remarks to the group in Arabic.
One of the officers repeatedly stroked the head of one child as Saddam spoke to the boy. Several of the Western boys were dressed in shorts and T-shirts. Saddam talked briefly with them about playing sports.
Saddam appeared relaxed as he spoke with one young boy, identified only as Ian, 7. The president asked the boy if he was getting enough milk and food. The child said he was getting enough milk and corn flakes.
Saddam then giggled, and turning to one of the officers said: "He is getting more than our Iraqi children."
A group of adults also sat around the room and spoke with Saddam. The Iraqi president asked them to forgive him for keeping them in Iraq.
"Your presence here will not be for too long," he said. Your presence here "is not a source of pleasure for us . . . this does not make us happy. What would make us happy would be to see you back in your countries or back in the streets of Baghdad (as in normal times)."
The meeting was broadcast by CNN, which said it was a tape. It was not known when the meeting took place.
The Iraqi TV broadcast appeared to be an attempt to show that the hostages were not being mistreated, and it gave Saddam an unusual forum to repeat the Iraqi position that the hostages were there to prevent an American attack.
It was one of the few times Saddam has been seen on Iraqi television since his nation invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2 and the United States and other nations sent troops to Saudi Arabia to protect it against Iraqi aggression.