Six Undecided on UN Council Seek Iraq Compromise (April 17 date)

Reuters ^ | March 10, 2003 | Irwin Arieff

[jwalburg]

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The six undecided members of the U.N. Security Council weighed delaying a deadline for Iraqi compliance to April 17, a month later than demanded in a U.S.-British-Spanish draft resolution, diplomats said on Monday.

But Pakistan's U.N. ambassador, Munir Akram, said this was not yet a common position, with some of the six wanting a shorter and others seeking a longer extension.

If the six were to agree on a compromise plan, this could interfere with U.S. hopes for a vote this week on a draft resolution that would give Baghdad until March 17 to fully cooperate with U.N. disarmament demands or face war.

In addition to Pakistan, the undecided members include Angola, Guinea, Cameroon, Mexico and Chile. Without their support, the U.S.-backed proposal would not reach the minimum nine votes required for adoption.

Both the American and British U.N. ambassadors, John Negroponte and Jeremy Greenstock, said they hoped for a vote before the end of the week. But one would not take place as early as Tuesday, as the two countries at one time had wanted.

Britain might be willing to consider extending the March 17 ultimatum, although not by much, Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said on Monday.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told Parliament, "We are examining whether a list of defined tests for Iraqi compliance would be useful in helping the council come to a judgment."

Greenstock said he had no instructions to change the draft resolution but his country was open to discuss any proposals.

"Our job among colleagues in the Security Council is to find a way forward," he said before a closed-door council session.

APRIL 17

The April 17 date would leave time to compile a list of specific disarmament demands that Iraq would have to meet, similar to a proposal put forward last month by Canada.

President Bush has massed hundreds of thousands of troops in the region and threatened to disarm Iraq by force if it does not reveal and destroy its alleged weapons of mass destruction, even if the council fails to approve a resolution clearing the way for war.

French President Jacques Chirac, who is leading the opposition to the U.S.-British-Spanish plan, said on Monday he was prepared to veto it if it came to a vote and he believed Russia and China would join him.

Guinea's U.N. ambassador, Mamady Traore, said he has been meeting with the wavering council members since Saturday in search of a proposal acceptable to the entire council.

The six wavering nations met again on Monday afternoon, and Traore said they would continue to do so.

"There are some initiatives which are under way, and we are part of these initiatives," Angola's U.N. Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins told reporters. "As it is, I think we can still do some more about that resolution. I think everybody accepts that, including the sponsors of the resolution."

Mexico and Chile have also publicly acknowledged in recent days their desire for additional diplomacy.

Chile's president Ricardo Lagos told Chilean radio on Saturday that weapons inspectors should have more time to assure Iraqi disarmament. "Is it possible to achieve that by March 17? No, that would be very difficult," Lagos said.

[per loin]

Why not? Bush has fallen for every other stall. And this will give the world-wide peace movement more time to mount its PR campaigns.

[Thane_Banquo]

Dear United States and Great Britain:

Please put the lives of hundreds of thousands of your troops in danger in order to accomodate our cowardice.

Love,
Pakistan, Angola, Guinea, Cameroon, Mexico and Chile.

[ambrose]

you hit it on the head.... this is nothing more than stalling for time. Let's get on with it or end the bloody farce and bring the troops home.

[PhiKapMom]

Our troops cannot wait until April 17th period!

When is the United States going to stand up and tell the United Nations to shove it?

Signing on to a 2nd resolution was a dumb idea, then UK submits amendment, and now another amendment. This is more than wrong! We need to stop this delay NOW!

I just read an article that said they are going to have open debate at the UN for two days for anyone to speak. Last time it was a total trashing of the US and Israel. We should tell the United Nations were are through negotiating and walk out.

Time to put America first and forget anymore diplomacy with the likes of Cameroon, Angola, Chili, etc.

[Torie]

This can be finessed by having interim deadline dates for interim acts (with some of those interim acts biggies, like exporting the 5,000 scientists plus their families to a foreign place for interrogation without minders. The key is the mechanism for deciding whether any deadlines have in fact been complied with. If it requires a SC council vote that there HAS been compliance, rather than there has not, than the UK and US should go for it. If it is the other way around, than Bush would be nuts to go for it.

[per loin]

A little more stall and the Brits can pull out.

[WOSG]

NO!

[WOSG]

good answer.

[ambrose]

If this drags on and on, you're right... Blair may be toppled from within his own party!

[Walkingfeather]

You know these jerks want to put us in a more and more vulnerable position so we get spanked... I say go and go now.

[goodnesswins]

Unfortunately it looks like we are now in bureaucratic MUMBO JUMBO time....they will do anything to put up roadblocks EVERY time there is the chance of a deadline....I'm with the President, but I'm SURE NOT SURE where he's going on this....it is starting to look really BAD.

[per loin]

Too bad you can't shout that "no" loud enough for the white house to here it. Bush is in the process of being suckered into another stall. It has become obvious that Bush should stick to "old maid" and not try to play poker with the big boys from France, Guinea, and Cameroon.

[Dog Gone]

Bush hasn't fallen for any stall yet. The 101st Airborne is currently unloading in Kuwait. Do you think we'd start without the helicopters?

[libsrscum]

We need to put an end to this UN crap NOW and Let's Roll!

[jwalburg]

Our troops cannot wait until April 17th period!

Bush knows this. Something will happen long before then to allow us to move earlier without reservation.

[faithincowboys]

i couldn't agree with you more--we must stick to the march 17th deadline. the long knives are out. the u.n. smells like the french.

[ambrose]

Have you ever seen Bravehart? Highly recommend it... Anyway, it should be required viewing for Bush right about now...

[per loin]

Do you think we couldn't have had them there in January?

[per loin]

What is required of Bush right now is ACTION! I've had enough of his dude ranch cowboy act.