United Nations (UN)

UN First Committee General Debate: September 30-November 1

III. The Iraq Crisis and the United Nations

Australia (Michael Smith, October 7): We are all aware of Iraq's attempts over many years to circumvent international norms against WMD proliferation. Australia considers that the international community cannot allow these violations to go unchecked and that firm action by the United Nations Security Council is required to rectify this situation. Getting inspectors back into Iraq, backed by a strong Security Council resolution providing for full and unfettered access to all sites, is just the first step. We must remember that our goal remains disarming Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. Apart from addressing the threat to international security posed by Iraq, we must avoid creating a precedent which other would-be proliferators might be tempted to exploit.

Egypt (Alaa Issa, October 7): Egypt welcomes the announcement by Iraq to allow the resumption of arms inspections on its soil by the UN and its cooperation in these efforts, which are an essential step in the lifting of sanctions... But we must also recall that the efforts to be pursued in Iraq were mandated by the UN Security Council in 1991 as a step towards the goal of establishing in the Middle East a zone free from weapons of mass destruction and all missiles for their delivery. Despite this fact, more than a decade has passed since the adoption of Security Council resolution 687 and no progress has been achieved towards reaching this essential objective.

European Union (Danish Ambassador Erling Harild Nielsen, September 30): It remains a matter of major concern to the EU that three and a half years have passed since the IAEA has been able to implement its mandate in Iraq under relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and that the Agency remains unable to provide any assurances regarding Iraq's compliance with its obligations under these resolutions. We note with interest that Iraq's Foreign Minister, in a letter of 16 September 2002 to the United Nations Secretary-General, announced the decision of the Iraqi government to let the weapons inspectors return to Iraq. The EU strongly urges Iraq without conditions to implement in full and without any delays all relevant Security Council resolutions, and to enable the IAEA and the UN Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC) to carry out its mandate in Iraq.

Iraq (Mohammed Aldouri, October 9): [F]or more than a decade, Iraq had faced the daily aggression undertaken by two permanent members of the Security Council in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions. The use of depleted uranium against his country in 1991 had destroyed life and land for generations to come. In just the first year after the use of that new generation of radioactive weapons, more than 50,000 Iraqi children had died. ... [Iraq] had declared last month its acceptance of United Nations inspectors, without condition, to make sure that Iraq was free of any weapon of mass destruction. Successful talks had been held with the Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and the IAEA, concerning the practical measures necessary for the inspectors. Iraq had not previously expelled the inspectors. The senior inspector at that time, Richard Butler, withdrew them in December 1998 in accordance with the wishes of United States and the United Kingdom in preparation for their aggression, in which the United States used more than 400 long-range missiles. ... [T]he fact that the inspectors were not withdrawn on the basis of a Security Council resolution, but at the request of the United States, which ordered Mr. Butler to do so, meant that the United States had advanced a military attack, without United Nations approval. Those two States were now trying to impede inspections on the pretext of an inadequate security regime, and they were discussing illegal ways and means to change the national government by force, in a manner that contravened popular will and the United Nations Charter. In addition...media and military organizations had undertaken a campaign of misinformation, saying that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq affecting peace and security in the Middle East. ... [Iraq] defied them to provide even "a single shred of evidence" about what they declared. He would circulate a response prepared by his Foreign Ministry addressing Prime Minister Blair's report. Those allegations were only preparing the ground for new military aggression against Iraq. Moreover, it was not advanced to disarm Iraq, but rather as a means for achieving the expansionist plans of those two countries in the region, including the control of oil. ... [His government] called upon the international community to undertake its responsibilities, to put an end to such aggression and to lift the unfair siege imposed against Iraq. (UN Press Release GA/DIS/3230.)

Nepal (Murari Raj Sharma, October 4): Effective enforcement on various disarmament treaties has always been problematic. In this context, we call on Iraq to comply with the relevant UN resolutions and let the inspectors back in, as well as on the global community to respect the UN Charter in its actions.

South Africa (Ncumisa Pamella Notutela, October 2): South Africa welcomes the decision by Iraq to unconditionally allow the United Nations and IAEA inspectors into that country so as to fulfil their task on the verification of the destruction of WMD and WMD Capabilities in accordance with the decisions of the Security Council. The situation in Iraq...has been a source of concern for the international community. The completion of the investigations into, and verification of, the destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities has been much delayed, and South Africa would call on Iraq to come into full compliance with its obligations in this regard.

Tunisia (Noureddine Mejdoub, October 9): [Tunisia] welcomed the decision for the return of inspectors to Iraq, leading to the lifting of sanctions there. That would spare the region from further attacks and instability. (UN Press Release GA/DIS/3230.)

United Arab Emirates (Abdulaziz Nasser Al-Shamsi, October 3): The United Arab Emirates welcomes Iraq's acceptance of the return of the United Nations weapons inspectors...[which] represents Iraq's commitment to the United Nations resolutions and affirms the sovereignty of international law... We look forward to international...cooperation in supporting and backing the Iraqi step in order to save the region from the unknown consequences of a third [world?] war and resolve the Iraqi issue through peaceful means without military action...

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