It means he is sticking by his original statement that Iraq was trying to
buy uranium from Niger "according to British Government intelligence data".

"Trying to buy" (and being told "no') doesn't make a country an imminent
nuclear threat.

(sound of phone ringing)

1: "Hello, President of Nigeria? This is Saddam Hussein. Long time no see. Did
you get that container full of hand woven rugs I sent you for your palace?"

2: "Saddam! How have you been? That golf swing of yours still as bad as ever?
Yeah, I got the carpets, but you need to knock that sort of stuff off. People
might talk."

1:"Well, the main reason I called was to see if you've got any excess uranium
lying around that I could buy sort of under the table."

2: "Oh, hell, Saddam. You know we can't sell you uranium. It's been illegal
since 1991. Let's talk about something else.
Isn't it your birthday soon? I'll have my presidential bakery put together
something nice for you, to show you how much I appreciate the bribe, er I mean
"gift" of carpeting. Do you like chocolate?"

1: "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer a yellow cake."

.........................

(Next day we'd have the WH announcing absolute proof that yellow cake had been
shipped from Niger to Iraq.) :-)