Posted on 04/01/2003 10:18:53 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Tuesday there is ``lots of unhappiness'' about the U.S.-led war against Iraq at the United Nations and that Arab nations would like to see greater U.N. efforts to bring about a cease-fire.
Once the fighting stops, he said he wants U.N. weapons inspectors to resume their work and test any weapons of mass destruction that might be found. He also said ``it is not excluded that the U.N. will play an important role'' in post-conflict Iraq.
Asked whether the fact that no weapons of mass destruction have been found diminished the impact or the legitimacy of the war, Annan reminded people that the issue before the Security Council in the run-up to the war was Iraq's disarmament.
``The council had not endorsed this war, and several reasons had been given for the action,'' he said.
The United States, Britain and Spain dropped a resolution seeking an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein to disarm or face war given the strong opposition from France, Russia, Germany and China, which argued that Iraq could be disarmed peacefully through strengthened weapons inspections.
Last week, the Security Council held a two-day open meeting on Iraq at the request of the 22-member Arab Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, comprising about 115 mainly developing countries. But the two groups did not press for a resolution in the council, whose 15 members remain bitterly divided over the war.
The Arab Group met Monday with Annan and announced afterwards that it would push for adoption of a resolution in the General Assembly to show the strength of world opposition.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference Group, which has 57 member nations, also issued a statement emphasizing its readiness to take the issue before the General Assembly. It called for an immediate cease-fire, withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, and respect for the sovereignty and political independence of Iraq and its neighbors.
Richard Sydenham, spokesman for General Assembly President Jan Kavan, said Tuesday that no formal request had been received asking to convene a meeting of the 191-nation world body.
Annan told reporters on his arrival at U.N. headquarters on Tuesday that ``obviously there's lots of unhappiness in this building about the war.''
He said Arab nations want to see an end to the conflict.
``They would want the U.N. to continue its efforts to try and bring about some sort of a cease-fire, and they would want the council and the secretary-general to be a bit more active on that front,'' Annan said.
Arab nations are also concerned about civilian casualties and helping the Iraqi people, he said.
``My concern is the population in the cities that are besieged,'' Annan said. ``With the hot season coming on, if you have no water and electricity it can lead to sanitation problems.''
By going to the General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, the Arab and Islamic groups have a much better chance of winning approval for a resolution if they can find language that has broad appeal. But unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding though they do reflect international opinion.
Arab diplomats said a proposed General Assembly resolution by the Organization of the Islamic Conference Group expressing regret for the use of force against Iraq was watered down in an effort to get support from European nations.
By contrast, the draft by the Arab Group calls for an end to the war, a reaffirmation of Iraq's sovereignty and a return of U.N. weapons inspectors and staff of the U.N. oil-for-food humanitarian program, diplomats said.
But both groups expressed willingess to work with other regional blocs on a text.
On another issue, the secretary-general said the United Nations has always condemned suicide attacks ``as terrorist acts, and I think if we're to have suicide attacks around the world most people will see it ... as terror against innocent civilians.''
Four U.S. soldiers were killed on Saturday at a miltary checkpoint in Iraq by a man posing as a taxi driver who detonated a car bomb.
Annan inadvertently lets the truth out: the UN is a tool for the murderous terrorist islamics.
But we knew that already.
Funny guy, eh? The parade has passed him by.
GET THE UNITED NATIONS OUT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES OUT OF THE UNITED NATIONS. PERIOD
Has the UN officially labeled Hamas a terrorist group?
Yes, I have often noticed the passionate concern of Arabs for their fellow Arabs.
Nobody else kills Arabs quite like another Arab.
Is this an April Fool's joke?
LOL! The thing is, in that part of the world people routinely lie in everyday dealings. I believe most of what we are hearing from Arab governments is just a smokescreen to keep the protests down. They know this UN talk will go nowhere. In fact, in secret most are helping us.
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