| Here are some highlights of the Non Security Council countries speaking to the Security Council on Mar 12. Read the whole text here.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/sc7687.doc.htm
Today, several speakers, among them the representatives of Japan, Latvia, Georgia and the Dominican Republic, voiced support for the draft resolution. Japan’s representative said that even though some progress had been observed recently, Iraqi cooperation was still insufficient and limited.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, and echoing the view of many speakers, the representative of Greece said war was not inevitable and force should be used only as a last resort. Inspectors must be given the time and resources that the Council believed they needed. However, inspections were not an endless process and could not continue indefinitely in the absence of full Iraqi cooperation. Iraq had to comply with the demands of the Council and seize this last opportunity afforded to it. Baghdad alone would be responsible for the consequences if it continued to flout the will of the international community and did not take this last chance.
the representative of Malawi, speaking on behalf of the African Group, The peaceful disarmament of Iraq was possible with a little measure of extended patience and perseverance. Resolution 1441 (2002) was not necessarily a blueprint for war. The African position, he continued, did not endorse war
Bolivia’s representative said that division undermined the United Nations’ capacity to defend international peace and security. Now, more than ever, the Council must shoulder its responsibility and act firmly, so that its decisions could be duly implemented.
(Japan) said that, even though some progress had been observed recently, the reports of the chief weapons inspectors indicated Iraqi cooperation was still insufficient and limited, despite the ever-stronger pressure from the international community. The special envoy of Japan’s Prime Minister was recently dispatched to Iraq, where he urged that Government to take the final opportunity and disarm, but the Iraqi response was insufficient. The revised draft resolution proposed by Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States on
7 March was a truly “final effort” to maintain international solidarity
Sudan) said that he was convinced of the effectiveness of the inspection process
(Thailand) welcomed Iraq’s further cooperation with the UNMVIC he urged Iraq to immediately fulfil those demands by providing complete and unconditional cooperation to UNMOVIC and the IAEA
(Philippines) supported every effort to resolve the issue of Iraq in a peaceful way, but diplomatic and political pressure to disarm must be applied on the Iraqi leadership. Resolution 1441 (2002) had found Iraq to be in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions. Full and verifiable compliance had not been achieved. He shared everyone’s hope for peace, “but we must always be ready to take decisive action to preserve and maintain meaningful peace”, he said.
(Greece), speaking on behalf of the European Union, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, said that the Union’s objective remained the full and effective disarmament of Iraq and it wanted to achieve that disarmament peacefully. War was not inevitable. Force should be used only as a last resort.
(Nigeria) said his country was deeply concerned about the consequences that the escalating situation could have on international peace and security, and in particular its adverse effect on Africa. Military confrontation against Iraq on the basis of a unilateral decision would have serious implications for world peace and potentially destabilize the entire Middle East region and beyond. Multilateral cooperation was the only option. He called for restraint, including against any unilateral action without the Council’s authority.
(Argentina) said it was clear that Iraq had not fully complied with resolution 1441 It was evident that the Iraqi regime only cooperated when it had no other alternative and responded only to diplomatic and military pressure. spite of Iraq’s attitude, there was still time to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis. He appealed once more to the Council to stand united and give Iraq one last chance to cooperate fully and in good faith to achieve disarmament.
(Dominican Republic) said that the Iraqi Government’s continued failure to comply with Council resolutions had driven the situation to a critical stage, and divided the international community, particularly the members of the Council. He endorsed the draft resolution because it contained valid elements
(Latvia), aligning himself with Greece’s statement on behalf of the European Union, said even taking into account such recent steps by Baghdad as the destruction of Al-Samoud 2 missiles, Iraq had not taken the strategic decision to disarm and to cooperate fully with the United Nations. Unfortunately, Iraq had continued its policy of deception. Neither enhancement of inspections nor extension of inspections’ time frame could substitute for active cooperation. The limited progress achieved so far was a result of strong diplomatic pressure, backed by military force. It fell short of satisfying the demands of the international community.
(El Salvador) said it was in the context of restoring the territorial integrity of Kuwait that a key decision had been taken to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. Regrettably, that objective was still unfulfilled, and the Government of Iraq had not complied with its international obligations, thereby defying the will of the international community and the binding decisions adopted by the Security Council to maintain peace or prevent acts that might undermine it. the Council must face up to its lofty responsibility and give effect to its decisions.
(Georgia) said everyone now had to make critical choices. Despite some recent progress on cooperation by Iraq, it continued to fail to meet the requirements of resolution 1441 He called on Iraq to disarm “immediately and unconditionally” and to meet in full its obligations. No one should be allowed to breach its obligations under Council resolutions, especially when international peace and security was at stake. Otherwise, serious consequences were imminent.
(Nicaragua) said that multilateralism was being severely tested. reports provided by Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei. The former had stated that Iraq’s initiatives could not be regarded as active or proactive, nor that they constituted immediate cooperation or covered all areas. It was clear from the reports that the Iraqi regime continued to omit important information on compliance with relevant resolutions.
No one, he continued, had been able to find reliable proof that Iraq was cooperating fully under the relevant resolutions.
(Bolivia) said he was concerned about the unforeseeable consequences in terms of human, political, economical and social costs an armed conflict could entail. 12 years demanded the total disarmament of Iraq’s war arsenal. Regrettably, the situation now stemmed from Iraq’s determination to arm itself, which was a defiance of resolution 1441 He was also concerned about the division in the Council, which undermined the United Nations capacity to defend international peace and security The Government of Iraq must disarm promptly in order to spare the international community greater conflicts.
(Zimbabwe), quoting the African Union, said that unilateral military action against Iraq would not only be accompanied by disastrous consequences, but would negate Africa’s stability and development. For that reason, Africa was against a military solution to the Iraq crisis.
Tunisia) said that, from the start, the Arab States had tried to defuse the crisis by redoubling efforts to exhaust all possible means to achieve a peaceful solution. Those efforts had borne fruit. Iraq had accepted the inspectors’ return and had been cooperating with them, in order to implement the relevant resolutions of the Council. He said his country firmly believed in the need to continue to try to resolve the Iraqi question through political and peaceful means
(Zambia) said during six briefings to the Council, the weapons inspectors had reported progress in their work. ny military action would spell disaster for the least developed countries
Morocco) said that he had listened closely to the updates given last Friday by Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei. He had taken note of the progress made within the inspection regime and the tasks not yet completed, to ensure that Iraq was free of weapons of mass destruction. He also remained hopeful that major partners in the United Nations, especially in the Council, would avail themselves of the next few days to find a peaceful exit to the current dilemma in a way that would preserve the credibility of the Council.
(The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said that the international community was facing very complex decisions that not only related to the disarmament of Iraq, but to the future of the collective system of security of the United Nations Despite some recent progress, the Iraqi regime continued to delay and obstruct the inspections. Clearly, it had been unwilling to respect the international community’s demands, aimed at resolving the matter peacefully. It had now become clear, however, that the threat remained and that Iraq was in “continuing material breach” of the Council’s resolutions.
He said that the Council must act in an even firmer matter now. The inspection process could not go on indefinitely.
(Malawi), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that the inspectors’ reports on 7 March had reduced the original anxieties about possible total non-compliance by Iraq. The Group was pleased to note the progress so far, as announced by the inspectors, on process and substance. The peaceful disarmament of Iraq, in line with resolution 1441 (2002), was possible
(Venezuela), said he was deeply concerned about the current situation in Iraq, and expressed his country’s firm commitment to the strict compliance with international law. He also underlined its respect for the decisions of the Council, which implied not only the full compliance with all resolutions adopted in regard to Iraq, but also to support the next decision to be adopted by the Council
Senegal) said that Iraq must be urged to abide by Council resolutions. It was imperative for its leaders to scrupulously implement all Council texts, dating back to 1991. The chief weapons inspectors had said that, after many twists and turns and delays, Iraq had finally started proactively increasing its initiatives. The world was still not seeing the immediate cooperation demanded by the Security Council, use of force against Iraq must be pursued under the authority of the United Nations, through the Security Council, whose members needed to act together to stave off a clash of civilizations and offset tyrannical chaos.
(Papua New Guinea) said that, when all was said and done, the effects of the Council’s final decision on the matter would have far-reaching global consequences. All countries, large and small, would be affected in one way or another. While the inspectors had achieved much so far, their efforts could be far easier, quicker and more effective if there was greater willingness by Iraq to comply with the provisions of resolution 1441 war should be the last resort
(Peru) said the Government of Iraq must understand once and for all that the only possibility of normalizing its relations with the international community lay in immediate disarmament and unconditional, active and complete implementation of Council resolutions. The inspectors’ reports had indicated that that obligation for disarmament had not been fulfilled. Full implementation of resolution 1441 (2002) should involve a binding deadline. One should not allow the time to be used to strip the Council resolutions of their content and leave them without effect.
(Colombia) said that only the threat of the use of force and the approval of resolution 1441 (2002), which gave Iraq its last chance to cooperate unconditionally, immediately and actively with the inspections, had made it possible for some headway to be made in that cooperation. At the same time, that cooperation was still far from being unconditional, immediate and proactive. Iraq continued to be in non-compliance and had opened the possibility for application of the “serious consequences” mentioned in resolution 1441
(Ethiopia) said it was clear from the chief weapons inspectors’ latest report that some progress had been achieved, but much remained to be done. Iraq should demonstrate, without delay, that it was complying with its disarmament obligations. It was imperative that the focus now be on the need to secure Iraq’s disarmament, without resorting to the use of force, as much as possible. | |
