Canada Says Azores Summit Gives UN Another Chance

Reuters ^ | March 16, 2003

[Indy Pendance]

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Sunday welcomed the outcome of the Azores summit on Iraq (news - web sites) because it provided for an another bid to reach consensus at the U.N. Security council.

"We are pleased to see that the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain have pledged to make another attempt to help the Security Council reach a unified position," a statement from Chretien's office said.

Hosts Portugal also took part in the summit earlier on Sunday, at which U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) said the United Nations (news - web sites) had only one more day to find a diplomatic end to the Iraq crisis before the United States moved to a war footing.

"We look to Security Council members to fulfill their responsibility to ensure that the will of the international community is respected and that Iraq disarms," the Canadian statement said.

Canada has been urging the United States to work through the United Nations but has also opposed French and German proposals to let U.N. weapons inspectors stay in Iraq for an indefinite time. It has put forward its own compromise to give Iraq a specific list of demands to complete in a specific time.

[Arkinsaw]

Looks like Jean has determined that its time to cover his posterior slightly, but only slightly.

[goldstategop]

Jean Chretien must still be waking up from a bad dream on the other side of Jacques Chirac's bed.

[x1stcav]

Chretien the Cretin is so far behind the curve that he doesn't realize the Security Council is no longer relevant. For that matter, so is Chirac. These folks are being left behind at a rapid rate of knots.

[wadecollins]

I knew it! When I heared Colin Powell this morning it was clear. Another 30 days folks!!!

[x1stcav]

Bet?

[zarf]

Pathetic; absolutely pathetic, mealy porridge from a feckless Canadian regime.

[teletech]

I knew it! When I heared Colin Powell this morning it was clear. Another 30 days folks!!!

No, not even another 30 hours would be my guess!

[hole_n_one]

As usual, you have no clue as to what you're talking about.

[Dog Gone]

A rather surprising comment from the Canadian government, although it is rather clueless on its face. We issued an ultimatum to the UN. It's not as if we had abandoned it previously.

[TheSpottedOwl]

(((Yawn))) Time to boycott maple syrup and Molson's....

[dixiechick2000]

Having read some of your posts, I'm betting that you're a "glass is half empty" kinda guy.

[jlogajan]

Another 30 days folks!!!

Actually, no more than 7-10 days, if the new resolution passes and is not vetoed. Less time than that if the resolution fails or isn't submitted.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Is the President back in Washington now (11:30 PM EST Sunday), or en route, or is he spending the night in the Azores? Anyone know?

[Indy Pendance]

It looks as if he's back in DC.

Bush spoke with Howard by telephone while flying back to Washington from a summit with key allies on the Atlantic islands of the Azores. Bush warned after the summit that Monday was a "moment of truth" for Iraq.

[piasa]

How would "the Cretin" know? Canada wasn't invited!

[telebob]

"We look to Security Council members to fulfill their responsibility to ensure that the will of the international community is respected and that Iraq disarms."
The Great White Cretin has played both sides all along. This statement is just one more example of trying to have it both ways. If the SC stands pat, the allies go to war, Cretin says "SC did not fulfill their responsibility". If the SC votes for ultimatim, Cretin says, "SC has fulfilled its responsibility, now we have the political cover to do the right thing, which, you know, we were going to do all along....and so on."