A rchive Date
[ 09-11-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ U.N ]
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[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2002/11/02/3236.html
UN Security Council adopts new Iraq resolution with unanimous vote
UN adopts Iraq resolution
UNITED NATIONS (CP) - The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Friday giving weapons inspectors the muscle they need to hunt for illicit weapons in Iraq. The vote was a major victory for the United States and started a countdown toward disarmament or war.
President George W. Bush, said UN Resolution No. 1441 "presents the Iraqi regime with a final test." The council's approval of the U.S.-draft resolution was a diplomatic coup for the Bush administration and the result of a last-minute reversal by Syria, which had staunchly opposed the plan during eight weeks of intense international lobbying spearheaded by Washington and London.
"There must be no more games, no more deceit," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, referring to Iraq.
"Co-operate fully, and despite the terrible injustices you have often perpetrated on others, we will be just with you."
U.S. diplomats pressed for support until the final moments before the vote, providing Syria, Russia and others with assurances: the resolution wouldn't be used to launch war on Iraq and the U.S. administration would work through the United Nations to reach a peaceful settlement to 12 years of international conflict with Iraq.
A deeply disappointed Iraq, stunned by Syrian and Russian support for the resolution, now has until Nov. 15 to accept the resolution's terms.
France, Russia and China, later issued a joint intepretation of the resolution, insisting it excludes any automatic use of force and the UN Security Council would only discuss Iraqi violations reported by weapons inspectors.
U.S. officials could not immediately comment on the joint statement but U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said earlier countries also had the right to report violations and any violation would "be considered and discussed within the council."
And he emphasized the resolution preserved its right to strike if the council appeared lax in the face of any Iraqi infraction. The Pentagon, which already has tens of thousands of troops in the region, prepared Friday for a fresh troop call-up.
"This resolution doesn't constrain any member state from acting to defend itself against the threat posed by Iraq," Negroponte said.
Chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said an advance team of inspectors will arrive in Baghdad on Nov. 18 after a nearly four-year absence. He said the unanimous council vote "strengthens our mandate very much." Inspectors would have up to 45 days to actually begin work, and must report to the council 60 days later on Iraq's performance. Four Canadians are among the inspectors.
The unanimous, 15-0 vote came as a surprise with support even from Syria, Iraq's neighbour, and Russia, whose yes vote was not known until the last moment.
Iraq said it would review the resolution before deciding whether to accept the plan, Iraq's UN ambassador told The Associated Press.
"Iraq will certainly study the resolution and decide whether we can accept it or not," Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri said moments after the resolution was unanimously approved.
Al-Douri also said he was surprised by Syria's support for the resolution but said Baghdad would not hold it against Damascus.
"I don't blame anyone. We respect and understand all the votes," he said, hinting that Iraq had also held out hope for a Russian abstention which never came.
In Ottawa, Prime Minister Jean Chretien called the resolution "a key and constructive step" to address the threat posed by Iraq's arsenal.
But Chretien did not commit Canadian troops to any war should the weapons inspection process fail.
"Canada has long advocated the adoption of a resolution that spells out clearly what is expected of Iraq, both in terms of its international obligations and the consequences of continued Iraqi non-compliance," Chretien said in a statement Friday.
"We are very pleased to see the Security Council speaking with one voice as well as the international community's commitment to work together to address this serious issue. This is what Canada has been working for."
Chretien, who spoke with Bush by telephone Friday, said the onus is now on Iraq to meet its international obligations.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who had worked closely with the United States in preparing the tougher new stance, warned Saddam he will face military action if he fails to comply.
"Defy the UN's will and we will disarm you by force," Blair told reporters at his 10 Downing St. office. "Be in no doubt whatever over that." But Blair said the resolution would not necessarily bring war. "Conflict is not inevitable, but disarmament is," he said.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Baghdad should comply for the sake of the Iraqi people.
"Iraq has a new opportunity to comply with all these relevant resolutions of the Security Council. I urge the Iraqi leadership for the sake of its own people...to seize this opportunity and thereby begin to end the isolation and suffering of the Iraqi people."
Germany, which had opposed unilateral U.S. military action against Saddam and becomes a council member in January, said the Iraqi leader now could have no doubt about the future of his weapons program.
"The resolution is a clear signal to Baghdad: Saddam Hussein must realize what serious consequences the non-observance of the resolution would entail," Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in a statement.
Russia, which forced reworking of the U.S. draft of the resolution throughout the deliberations, said it was satisfied the resolution will not, in and of itself, spark military action.
"What is most important is that the resolution deflects the direct threat of war" and opens the road to "a political diplomatic settlement," said Russia's UN Ambassador Sergey Lavrov. Russia has been Iraq's strongest council ally and said Friday that wording in the resolution still was not ideal.
For weeks Syria insisted no new resolution was necessary. But after intense lobbying, particularly by France, Syria said Thursday for the first time it could accept the resolution if Damascus' proposals were included.
Syria's deputy UN Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad said Damascus voted "yes" after receiving assurances from key countries "that this resolution would not be used as a pretext to strike Iraq." The resolution "reaffirms the central role of the Security Council" and Iraq's sovereignty, both key issues for Syria, he said.
In remarks after the vote, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said, "This resolution is designed to test Iraq's intentions."
The broad support sends a strong message to Baghdad that the Security Council - divided for years over Iraq - expects full compliance with all UN resolutions.
A breakthrough in negotiations came Thursday when France and the United States reached a critical agreement to address French concerns that the resolution could automatically trigger an attack on Iraq.
Negroponte said there are "no hidden triggers" for the automatic use of force against Iraq if it does not comply with the resolution. He emphasized that should the inspectors report Iraqi violations, the matter would return to the Security Council and if it does not act, the United States would.
"To the government of Iraq our message is simple: non-compliance is no longer an option," he said.
While the United States made some major concessions to critics, the final draft still meets the Bush administration's key demands: toughening UN weapons inspections and leaving the United States free to take military action against Iraq if inspectors say Baghdad isn't complying.
At French and Russian insistence the Security Council would then meet to discuss any reported Iraqi violation. At that stage, the council would consider further action. However, the resolution says nothing that would forbid the United States from attacking at that point.
As a "carrot" to Iraq, the resolution gives Saddam "a final opportunity" to co-operate with weapons inspectors, holds out the possibility of lifting 12-year-old sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, and reaffirms the country's sovereignty.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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