Russia to ask UN to rule on legality of Iraq war: FM

Agence France-Presse (AFP) ^ | 3-21-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

MOSCOW, March 21 (AFP) - Russia and other countries will ask the United Nations to rule whether the US-led war on Iraq is legal, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Friday.

"With other states, we will put this question before the UN's legal department. It is very important that these arguments (about the legality of US actions) are confirmed," he told the State Duma lower house of parliament.

"This is the only way that we can use them as a strong weapon," Ivanov added.

"If the UN Security Council describes the US actions as an aggression, the appropriate measures will be taken. But if you or I describe them as aggression it won't achieve anything," the foreign minister said.

"The action has no legal basis and the attempts to justify it by resolution 1441 are not serious," he said.

The United States abandoned its efforts to have the UN Security Council approve military action against Baghdad after apparently failing to gather enough support in the 15-member Council.

The US administration argues that resolution 1441, which passed unanimously in November and threatened Iraq with "serious consequences" if it failed to show it had disarmed its weapons of mass destruction, provides sufficient authority for the war.

US-led forces launched the attacks against Iraq on Thursday.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I-R-R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T.

[JohnHuang2]

U.N. who?

[lady lawyer]

Let them keep pushing. They'll push us right out. The UN version of "international law" is mostly a joke. It's whatever the Leftists in charge say it is.

[AntiGuv]

Why don't they just send the inquiry to the Quai d'Orsay in Paris and expedite the inevitable finding??

[thinktwice]

The mother of all bull**** -- Russia.

[Crowcreek]

UN 'authority' got us into this mess in the first place.

Let's just do it without the UN this time -- So we don't have to keep doing it over for the next 50 years.

[battlecry]

Could this be the first salvo in a bid to have the US prosecuted as war criminals and justify Russia and its allies moving into Iraq and into WWIV?

[Cyclops08]

Its a little too late now...Sure, lets listen to another great UN whine. The more they complain, the more the rank and file US citizen can see, the sooner America will leave the UN.

[shrinkermd]

I am skeptical of this. I can not imagine Russia being so stupid to challenge the US in this manner.

[RAT Patrol]

Okay, U.N., just slap some "serious consequences" on us. That will keep us in line.

[CELTICGAEL (Celt)]

What resolution did pooty-pute enforce to go to war in Chechnya? Goodness, how could I forget!

[plain talk]

"If the UN Security Council describes the US actions as an aggression, the appropriate measures will be taken

What measures? The U.S. would just veto it anyway.

[Natural Law]

V-E-T-O

[wimpycat]

"If the UN Security Council describes the US actions as an aggression, the appropriate measures will be taken...

Ummmm...let me see here...the UN Security Council, of which the United States is a permanent member with veto power, is supposed to classify this war as an of aggression on the part of the United States? Is that what the Russian Foreign Minister expects?

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.

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HEEHEEHEEHEE! HOHOHOHOHO! HARHARHARHAHAR!

*SNORT*

[Smedley]

Evoke the US veto!!

[Just another Joe]

"If the UN Security Council describes the US actions as an aggression, the appropriate measures will be taken."

And whatcha gonna do?
Kick us out and TRY to invade the USA?
Bring it on and see where that gets you.

[YOMO]

If they drag this out like the debate over inspections the war will be over and the rebuilding complete.

[ElephantMan]

"Could this be the first salvo in a bid to have the US prosecuted as war criminals and justify Russia and its allies moving into Iraq and into WWIV?"

I fear you may be correct. What other explanation is there for their behaviour.

[F16Fighter]

Will Russia to hire Johnny Cochran?

[Prysson]

bring it on baby.

We have already found weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq by some reports. We have definately proven that they still had scuds. Iraqi's are cheering in the street. Bring it on you morons. The American publis is rapidly learning what a pathetic organization the U.N. is. I say keep it coming.