3.7 |
Development of UK strategy and options, 1 February to 7 March
2003
of work
that combines conviction with respect for the concerns of others,
the capacity
of persuasion
with tolerance and, above all, patience”. Unity of the Council
was:
“… the
basis of any international action that seeks to be both legitimate
and
effective.
Only a united Council could credibly adopt the appropriate
decisions for
achieving
the objective of the disarmament of the Iraqi regime.”
395.
Chile
wholeheartedly accepted Mr Annan’s invitation, in a recent
speech, “to take
the
necessary time to continue to seek the broadest possible consensus
for achieving
a
comprehensive solution”. That was the only way to exhaust all means
to settle the
conflict
peacefully and reserve the use of force “until the moment when it
becomes clear
to all that
peaceful means have failed”.
396.
China also
called for the pursuit of a political settlement.
397.
Mr Tang
Jiaxuan, the Chinese Foreign Minister, urged Iraq to recognise
the
importance
and urgency of inspections and to co-operate more pro-actively.
China,
“in
agreement with the majority opinion among Council members”,
believed that the
inspections
process was working. The Council had to “step up its efforts”.
“Only by
pursuing a
political settlement” could the Council “live up to the trust and
hope that
the international
community places in the Security Council”.
398.
Spain
questioned Iraq’s will to co-operate.
399.
Ms Palacio
pointed out that active, immediate and complete co-operation
from
Iraq was
not yet forthcoming and all the areas of non-compliance and
unresolved issues
mentioned
in Dr Blix’s report of 27 January remained. Spain saw no need
for more
inspections
or an increase in capability. Peace and security were “ensured
through
respect for
and compliance with Security Council resolutions”. If there was no
change
in the
political will of Saddam Hussein to co-operate, the Council would
be “obliged
to assume
its responsibilities in the interests of the peace and security of
the world”.
400.
Mr Straw
also questioned whether Iraq had decided to co-operate and
stated
that Iraq’s
material breaches still existed.
401.
The
authority of the United Nations and the responsibility of the
Council
for peace
and security were at issue from Iraq’s continued
defiance.
402.
The UN
Charter required the diplomatic process to be backed by the
credible
threat of
the use of force and its use if necessary.
403.
Mr Straw
thanked Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei for “their great efforts
in the face
of what I
think is still very clear: Iraq’s failure, fully and actively to
comply with
108
UN Security
Council, ‘4707th Meeting Friday 14 February 2003’
(S/PV.4707).
251