Posted on 03/10/2003 10:07:45 AM PST by knak
THE HAGUE (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned on Monday the legitimacy of military action taken against Iraq (news - web sites) without U.N. Security Council backing would be "seriously impaired."
Annan pleaded for unity in the Security Council which is due to vote this week on a new draft resolution authorizing war against Iraq.
"The members of the Security Council are now faced with a grave choice," Annan told a news conference. "If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."
The United States, Britain and Spain have proposed a new U.N. resolution that sets a March 17 ultimatum for Iraq to comply fully with U.N. demands that it give up its suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Iraq denies it has such weapons.
To be approved, the new U.N. resolution must win at least nine votes on the 15-member Security Council and there must be no veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
The latter three remain opposed to early military action, demanding diplomacy and weapons inspectors be given more time.
Annan appealed to the Security Council to come together despite their public differences over the looming crisis in Iraq. "The council has been divided before yet it has managed to come together," he said.
Britain and the United States are keen to press for a vote this week, giving Saddam just seven days to prove he will disarm or face war.
Washington has said it is prepared to act even without U.N. approval.
"There are concerns about the long term consequences of war in Iraq. One must have no illusions about what war means," Annan said, warning that military action would have serious implications for the region and the rest of the world.
"The better the consensus, the better the chance we have to come together again and deal effectively with other burning conflicts in the world, starting with the one between the Israelis and the Palestinians," said Annan, who is in The Hague (news - web sites) for peace talks to reunite Cyprus.
Britain said on Monday it may modify the draft resolution in an attempt to gain a critical mass of support on the Security Council.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said London and Washington could set out a list of detailed disarmament moves for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) to fulfil by March 17 if he is to avoid war, and officials said that deadline could be extended a little.
Pray for GW and Our Troops
"Put your spare change in my tip pail please."
Not much point, we'd just veto it!.....LOL..
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