Roundup: New Resolution on Iraq Brings New Hope

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 10, 2002

Roundup: New Resolution on Iraq Brings New Hope

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The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a tough new resolution on Iraq, seeking to strengthen the UN weapons inspection mechanism and urging Baghdad to fully comply with all relevant UN resolutions.

The new resolution, considered by UN diplomats as one of the most important UN resolutions on Iraq, warned Iraq that it would face "serious consequences" for further material breach of its obligations. But it also clearly stated that in the event of problems over weapons inspections, the members of the Security Council will meet to look at the situation as it stands and decides on further action.

By scrapping such content as the automatic and unilateral use of force against Iraq from previous drafts and asserting the central role and responsibility of the Security Council in the area of peace and security, the new resolution brought new hope for a peaceful solution of the Iraq crisis through political and diplomatic means within the framework of the United Nations.

The unanimous adoption of the new resolution, called Resolution1441, sent a strong message to Baghdad that the Security Council, which had been divided over Iraq for years, expects Iraq's full compliance with all relevant UN resolutions.

Chief UN arms inspector Hans Blix said after the adoption of the resolution that an advance team of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission planned to go to Baghdad on Nov. 18 to prepare for full resumption of arms inspections.

In response to request from many Security Council members including China, the new resolution recalled Resolution 1382, adopted last year, urging UN member countries to work for a comprehensive settlement of the issue of Iraq, and it also reiterated that the sovereignty of Iraq and its neighbors should be respected.

The 15-0 vote came after eight weeks of arduous negotiations. The United States and Britain, who co-sponsored the resolution, had repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iraq to disarm, while an overwhelming majority of countries called for a peaceful settlement of the crisis within the framework of the United Nations.

An earlier draft worked out by the United States and Britain, which sought automatic authorization of use of force against Iraq,was opposed by a majority of Security Council members including China, France and Russia.

A breakthrough in negotiations came Thursday when France and the United States reached a critical agreement to address French concerns and those of other countries that the resolution could automatically trigger an attack on Iraq.

"This resolution is a success for the Security Council and the United Nations," France's UN Ambassador Jean-David Levitte said, adding that "This success must now become a success for peace."

Zhang Yishan, acting Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said after the vote that China's decision to vote in favor of the resolution was based on its consistent and clear-cut position on the issue of Iraq. The Chinese government firmly stands for a peaceful settlement of the Iraq issue through political and diplomatic means and within the framework of the United Nations. The Chinese delegation participated in all stages of negotiations and presented China's views and suggestions.

A statement issued by Russia after the vote said the resolution opened the path for a settlement of the Iraq issue through political and diplomatic means.

The United States, which suffered setbacks in its earlier efforts to seek automatic authorization of use of force against Iraq, made substantial concessions during the final stage of negotiations. After the vote, US Ambassador John Negroponte said, "By this resolution, we are now united in trying a different course." There were no "hidden triggers" for the automatic use of force against Iraq if it does not comply with the resolution, as the purpose of this resolution is to open the way to a peaceful solution, he added.

The unanimous endorsement of the new resolution would certainly help strengthen the role and authority of the Security Council as the core of the international collective security system and facilitate a peaceful settlement of the Iraq issue. However, the future of the Iraq crisis still face a number of uncertainties.

Such uncertainties include whether Iraq could fully comply with UN resolutions, what kind of report UN arms inspectors would submit and what kind of decision the Security Council would take accordingly as well as whether the United States would be willing to be committed to such a decision.

In his speech after the vote, US Ambassador Negroponte said, "If the Security Council fails to act decisively in the event of further violations, this resolution does not constrain any member state from acting to defend itself against the threat posed by Iraq."

Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammed Al-Douri said after the vote that Iraq would certainly study the resolution and decide whether it could accept it or not. On Thursday, Iraqi state media called the draft resolution a pretext for war.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his speech after the vote, urged Iraq to seize the opportunity to fully comply with all relevant UN resolutions for the sake of its own people and for the sake of world security and world order. "The road ahead will be difficult and dangerous," Annan said, adding that the UN arms inspections require the full and unconditional cooperation on the part of Iraq.

"This is a time of trial -- for Iraq, for the United Nations and for the world," he said. "The goal is to ensure the peaceful disarmament of Iraq in compliance with Security Council resolutions and a better, more secure future for its people."

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