3.5 |
Development of UK strategy and options, September to November 2002
–
the
negotiation of resolution 1441
510.
In his
absence, a statement from Mr Annan was read to the Council by
Ms Louise
Fréchette,
Deputy Secretary‑General. In addition to reiterating the points he
had made
on 12
September (see Section 3.4), Mr Annan also stated
that:
•
Iraq’s
“failure to comply fully” with the resolutions of the Council was
one of the
“gravest
and most serious” situations facing the Council.
•
The
Council’s primary responsibility for the maintenance of
international
peace and
security, conferred in Article 24 of the UN Charter, was a
grave
responsibility.
It was “essential” for the Council to face up to that
responsibility.
•
The
situation also presented an opportunity to “strengthen
international
co‑operation,
the rule of law and the UN”.
•
Iraq’s
decision to readmit the inspectors without condition was “an
important first
step, but
only a first step”.
•
Full
compliance remained “indispensable”, and had “not yet happened”.
The
Council
would expect “unfettered access”. A new resolution “strengthening
the
inspectors’
hands” would be “appropriate”: “The new measures must be
firm,
effective,
credible and reasonable.”
•
If Iraq
failed “to make use of this last chance, and if its defiance
continues”,
the Council
would “have to face its responsibilities”. It did that “best and
most
effectively”
when its members worked “in unison”.
511.
Mr Annan
concluded by “urging” the Council:
“… to make
every effort to retain their unity of purpose. If you allow
yourselves to be
divided,
the authority and credibility of the … [UN] will undoubtedly
suffer; but if you
act in
unison, you will have a greater impact and a better chance of
achieving your
objective,
which must be a comprehensive solution that includes the suspension
and
eventual
ending of the sanctions that are causing such hardship for the
Iraqi people,
as well as
the timely implementation of other provisions of your resolutions.
If the
Council
succeeds … it will strengthen the United Nations in a way that will
place
future
generations in its debt.”
512.
During the
debate that followed, a wide range of views and concerns were
aired
reflecting
the positions of the participants.
513.
Mr Mohammed
Aldouri, Iraqi Permanent Representative to the UN,
criticised
the US
Administration’s “plans to invade and occupy Iraq, using military
force” and
argued that
it wanted “a blank cheque” from the Security Council to “colonize
Iraq …
[and]
subject the entire region to American hegemony”. He stated that
there were “no
nuclear,
chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and
that Iraq had
implemented
many years ago the disarmament requirements” in resolution 687
(1991).
514.
Following a
description of Iraq’s position on its implementation of resolution
687
and the
conduct of inspectors before their departure in December 1998, “as
instructed
by the
United States”, and criticism of the implementation of the
sanctions regime,
291