EU to Iraq: Disarm now
Posted on 02/17/2003 3:28:01 PM PST by MeekOneGOP
EU to Iraq: Disarm now
02/17/2003
BRUSSELS, Belgium - European leaders united Monday behind a declaration affirming solidarity with the United States and warning Saddam Hussein that Iraq faces one "last chance" to disarm peacefully.
The declaration by 15 European Union leaders including French President Jacques Chirac gave firm backing for the U.S. and British demand for swift action to disarm Iraq. But it also recognized the Franco-German drive for a peaceful solution, calling war "a last resort."
"Baghdad should have no illusions. It must disarm and cooperate immediately and fully. The Iraqi regime alone will be responsible for the consequences if it continues to flout the will of the international community and does not take this last chance," the leaders said in a joint declaration.
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The final declaration demanded Iraq's immediate and full compliance with demands to disarm, but did not set a deadline. The declaration also did not contain the phrase, pushed by Britain, that "time is running out."
"That was not acceptable for us," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told reporters.
The declaration came a day after NATO resolved a rift over starting defensive measures to protect Turkey in case of an Iraq war
The split within the European Union had threatened the EU's ability to forge a foreign and security policy. France and others want the EU to be a major power that can counter the United States, but most European nations are reluctant to give up control of their foreign policy, especially direct ties with Washington.
Seeking not only to mend rifts in the European Union, but also with the United States, the leaders also gave the American military buildup in the Persian Gulf credit for forcing Saddam to work with U.N. weapons inspectors.
"We are committed to working with all our partners, especially the United States, for the disarmament of Iraq, for peace and stability in the region," the leaders said.
Earlier, the summit appeared heading for a rupture after France declared it would block any early move to war.
With the split undermining EU unity and its ability to speak with a single voice, Britain and France offered starkly different views, with London calling for a swift deadline for action and Paris insisting on more time to disarm Iraq peacefully.
Chirac said France would oppose any effort to draft a new U.N. resolution authorizing war at this time. France, Germany and others say Iraq can be disarmed peacefully and must be given time.
"There is no need for a second resolution today, which France would have no choice but to oppose," said Chirac. France has a veto on the U.N. Security Council.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said time was running out and that the EU must set limits on how much longer it will allow Iraq to remain defiant.
"I think most people understand ... if that (disarming) cannot be done peacefully, it must be done by force," Blair said.
"That's why we require a timetable," he said.
Britain and the United States, bracing for a heated debate on Iraq at the United Nations, will push ahead this week with a new resolution seeking authority to forcefully disarm Saddam Hussein, diplomats from the two allied nations said Monday.
The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expected Security Council negotiations on the draft to be wrapped up by the time chief weapons inspector Hans Blix delivers his next report March 1.
London and Washington have said they would be willing to go to war without U.N. backing, however.
European parliamentary leaders, who met with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan before he entered the summit, said Annan stressed that he did not want the weapons inspections to go on too long.
France, which has long wanted to regain global power by leading a united Europe, has led the opposition to Washington's drive for a war on Iraq. Chirac has claimed that he speaks for the people of Europe, over the heads of some of their own governments, which back Washington.
"We all know that this is about the matter of Iraq, but it's also about the matter of Europe," German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said.
Italy spoke for the EU states that don't want to trade their close ties with the United States. "Our policy is based on two pillars: the cohesion of the European Union and a strong relationship with the United States," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.
Opponents of war believe their position was strengthened when millions of people marched in cities around the world Saturday to oppose war. On Monday, Iraq reported the first flight by an American U-2 surveillance plane in support of the U.N. inspection mission, marking another concession by the Baghdad government in hopes of staving off a U.S.-led attack.
Still, the United States and Britain, the two allies that have committed massive forces to the Gulf, show no sign of backing off.
The disunity within Europe was reflected at NATO headquarters, where Belgium, France and Germany had held out for a month against 14 European allies - as well as the United States and Canada - over starting defensive measures to protect Turkey in case of an Iraq war. Turkey is the only NATO member that borders Iraq.
Germany and Belgium dropped their objections for a deal late Sunday, but only after NATO went to its Defense Planning Committee, which does not include France.
Meanwhile, Turkey's prime minister on Monday ruled out a parliamentary vote to allow in tens of thousands of U.S. combat troops before Turkish and U.S. officials agree on the conditions of the deployment. One of the main sticking points is the economic aid package that would compensate Turkey for any losses incurred in an Iraq war, diplomats said.
A delay could hamper U.S. war plans to open a northern front in an Iraq war.
"Baghdad should have no illusions. It must disarm and cooperate immediately and fully. The Iraqi regime alone will be responsible for the consequences if it continues to flout the will of the international community and does not take this last chance," the leaders said in a joint declaration.
Let's Roll !...SOON !!
That would be much welcomed by me...
Tony Blair: The price of my conviction
Excerpt:But there are also consequences of 'stop the war'. There will be no march for the victims of Saddam, no protests about the thousands of children that die needlessly every year under his rule, no righteous anger over the torture chambers which if he is left in power, will remain in being.
I rejoice that we live in a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process. But I ask the marchers to understand this.
I do not seek unpopularity as a badge of honour. But sometimes it is the price of leadership and the cost of conviction.
If there are 500,000 on the [Stop the War] march, that is still less than the number of people whose deaths Saddam has been responsible for. If there are one million, that is still less than the number of people who died in the wars he started.
So if the result of peace is Saddam staying in power, not disarmed, then I tell you there are consequences paid in blood for that decision too. But these victims will never be seen, never feature on our TV screens or inspire millions to take to the streets. But they will exist none the less.
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of England walk out to address the media in Cross Hall at the White House Nov. 7. "We've got no better friend in the world than Great Britain," said the President during his remarks. White House photo by Paul Morse.
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