UN Sanctions Must Stay Till Iraq Has Own Govt, Saudi Says

reuters ^ | 4/18/2003 | reuters

[TLBSHOW]

UN Sanctions Must Stay Till Iraq Has Own Govt, Saudi Says

April 18 — By Andrew Hammond

RIYADH (Reuters) - The U.S.-led forces that invaded Iraq had no right to exploit its oil and U.N. sanctions on Iraq should end only when it has a legitimate government, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Saturday.

Faisal, speaking after a meeting of eight regional states on post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, said the invading forces must reestablish security and withdraw as soon as possible, allowing Iraqis to form their own government.

"Now Iraq is under an occupying power and any request for lifting sanctions must come when there is a legitimate government which represents the people... and which can comply with its duties toward lifting sanctions," Faisal told reporters after the meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The United States wants a quick end to the 12-year-old sanctions, which would allow Iraq to sell oil to help pay for postwar reconstruction following Saddam's overthrow.

The first postwar regional forum also rejected U.S. accusations that Syria was sheltering aides of the former Iraqi president and developing chemical weapons. Syria denies both charges.

Faisal said the U.N. embargo on Iraq should end only when a representative government took control.

"(The ministers) affirmed that the Iraqi people should administer and govern their country by themselves, and any exploitation of their natural resources should be in conformity with the will of the legitimate Iraqi government and its people," he said, reading from a joint statement.

CENTRAL U.N. ROLE

The meeting in the Saudi capital was attended by foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbors Turkey, Iran, Syria, Kuwait and Jordan as well as Egypt and Bahrain, and was intended to discuss the implications for the region of the crushing U.S. victory.

Asked if those countries planned to play a role in shaping a new Iraq, Faisal said: "We will not permit ourselves to interfere in its (Iraq's) internal affairs."

The statement called for a central U.N. role in dealing with postwar Iraq. The United States is reluctant to give the United Nations and the global community a say in Iraq's political future.

The U.N. sanctions were imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of oil-rich neighbor Kuwait. They allow limited oil sales under U.N. supervision to buy food, medicines and other vital civilian goods. They ban other Iraqi exports and rigidly control imports.

President Bush urged the United Nations on Wednesday to lift the sanctions, but the European Union, split over the U.S.-led war in Iraq, fears any rapid moves to end the embargo could further undermine the already strained authority of the United Nations.

The sanctions are the main political leverage U.N. Security Council members, including anti-war states France, Germany and Russia, have to persuade the United States to give the United Nations a role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said U.S.-led forces should leave Iraq and let the United Nations help the people there run their own affairs.

Barring Syria and Iran, all participants at the meeting are key U.S. allies that offered some form of support for the invasion. But they all fear the United States will install a puppet government regime in Iraq that would ally itself with Israel.

"(The ministers) underlined the obligations of the occupying powers under the fourth Geneva convention to maintain security and stability... and underlined their obligation to withdraw from Iraq and allow Iraqis to exercise their right to self-determination," the joint statement said.

[Numbers Guy]

Since Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Jordan, and Turkey have been making money evading the sanctions for years, so why would they want the sanctions lifted?

[Maigret]

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

[observer5]

These people are basically out of their mind.

[dinok]

Some nerve from the ragheads that begged us to save them from Saddam and financed the 15 terrorists tha killed 3000 in New York and Washington.

They are pimples on the butt of history.

[Bogey78O]

We all know the reasons why they blocked it.

It's so unfunny how all these guys act like they have noble intentions for the Iraqi people.

[snooker]

How about we let Saudi have a say when they dump the wahabi radicals who are causing the problem.

Until then tell Saudi to just shut up.

[EaglesUpForever]

Well, following Russia's lead we should just completely ignore the sanctions. So the US will have to buy all the Iraqi oil, not a big problem.

[Torie]

Those that wanted sanctions lifted or weakened under the watch of the tyrant (France, Germany, Saudi, etc.) now want them kept in place for reasons that have nothing to do with their original rationale of eradicating WMD. Those that wanted them in place now want them lifted because their rationale has now disappeared. It is quite a display of ships passing in the night, with one fleet filled with philistines. This is one of the most execrable displays of State moral turpitude based on parochial pecuniary considerations I have ever witnessed. None of those taking passage on the fleet on the damned care about the welfare of the Iraqi people. They care only about themselves. It leaves me in shock and awe.

[Jorge]

Those that wanted sanctions lifted or weakened under the watch of the tyrant (France, Germany, Saudi, etc.) now want them kept in place for reasons that have nothing to do with their original rationale of eradicating WMD.

Pretty astounding.

[CurlyDave]

So the US will have to buy all the Iraqi oil, not a big problem.

I have been thinking the same thing. The US uses more oil than Iraq produces. We bid $20/bbl. No big deal.

The UK, Australia, and Italy might want in on this too.

We don't need no steenking UN!

[polemikos]

The last thing these scum want is Iraqi oil on the open market.

[IronJack]

Faisal, speaking after a meeting of eight regional states on post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, said the invading forces must reestablish security and withdraw as soon as possible, allowing Iraqis to form their own government.

I would have thought it abundantly clear by now that the United States of America does not take its marching orders from people who wear rugs on their heads. And that includes the ruling Bedouins of Saudi Arabia.

[meenie]

This is similar to the argument of which came first, the chicken or the egg? With no income, how can a government be set up? I can see where this is the next stall of the United Nations. The ones I feel sorry for are the Iraqi people. They are caught between the US and the UN. The US is going to have to make the decision to get out of the UN or suffer the consequences every time we decide to look after our own security or actions.

These multinational organizations are not panning out to be in our interests, which is not unusual. The axiom that government is best that is closest to the people involved is still true. Our own leaders have forgotten this at their peril as well as ours.

[SouthernFreebird]

This is one of the most execrable displays of State moral turpitude based on parochial pecuniary considerations I have ever witnessed.

Aw have mercy, I'm a GRITS....can someone explain.....preferably in English.

[Torie]

I wonder what the legal consequences will be if the US defies the embargo. I don't care about the political ones, since the motives of those that will use their veto to keep the sanctions in place are so transparent and revolting. To tell them "nuts" would do a body good.

[Torie]

The perps are selfish amoral bastards. Does that help?

[TLBSHOW]

You would think they would learn.

[joesnuffy]

The Saudis dont want Iraqi oil priced in US dollars or the US being able to get Iraqi oil flowing anytime soon..
After all its in their best interest to keep screwing us the way they have been all along..
The Saudis are our worst enemies..imo

[bybybill]

With the general mood in this country right now, it might be a really good idea to leave us alone and let us go about the business of getting Iraq well. Those that are demanding we turn everything over to the UN haven`t been paying attention. Me thinks, if asked, most Americans would just as soon, dump the one worlders. Push us real hard France, we might take our ball and go home.