Blair is through, and now it’s Bush’s turn

The US belly dance won’t fascinate the UN Security Council

The UN Security Council is waiting for a draft resolution that will persuade Iraq to cooperate with UNMOVIC inspectors. Last week, Iraq declared it was ready to welcome international inspectors, which is a very wise step by the way. The UNO immediately picked up Iraq’s suggestion and is currently making much much of it. Of course, if it manages to prevent a war in the Persian Gulf, its previous faults won’t be counted (success is never blamed).

It’s quite another matter that the USA sticks to the same opinion, and it is perfectly clear that it will ignore the negative attitudes of its allies and other countries that are against the new war. The overthrowing of Saddam’s regime is the stated objective. Weapons of mass destruction, if some are indeed found in Iraq, will strengthen the US position and become tbe reason to take radical measures against Iraq.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “Let’s wait and see. We should see response of Iraq to the pressure of the world community. And we should keep on pressing until the UNO sees that Iraq has got rid of the weapons. The USA still believes that overthrowing the regime is the best way to disarm Iraq.”

Washington is rushing things: Iraq’s pacific gesture has cut the ground from under the Americans’ feet. Diplomats are actively discussing the recent decision by Iraq to allow international inspectors back into the country without any preconditions. What is to be done if Saddam plays a trick once again? The UN Security Council should be immediately pressed upon, otherwise everything is lost. A meeting of UN Commission for Iraq inspections chairman Hans Blix with Iraqi authorities is scheduled in Vienna for Monday, September 30.

Let’s get back to the UN Security Council resolution: some sources say it is still in the process, and others inform that Britain’s representatives in the UNO have already said they are ready to introduce amendments to the documents. And even if the draft resolution is presented within the nearest 24 hours, it is unlikely to be adopted by Monday. Russia and China strictly object to the introduction of any amendments to the resolution, although the USA and Great Britain insist they should be introduced. France is waiting for an official evidence of weapons of mass destruction being developed in Iraq.

Dmitry Chirkin PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: https://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/09/25/47556.html

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