Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 26, 2003
13th NAM Summit Issues Separate Statement on Iraq
Leaders of the 116-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) issued a statement on Iraq at their 13th summit Tuesday, expressing welcome and support to all efforts exerted to avert war against that country.
Leaders of the 116-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) issued a statement on Iraq at their 13th summit Tuesday, expressing welcome and support to all efforts exerted to avert war against that country.
The statement said that they considered with grave concern the precarious and rapidly deteriorating situation arising from the looming threat of war against Iraq.
They said they were fully cognizant of the concerns expressed by millions in their countries, as well as in other parts of the world, who rejected war and believed that war against Iraq would be a destabilizing factor for the whole region.
They reaffirmed their commitment to exert their efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the current situation.
At the same time, they also called on Iraq, a member of the 116-strong Movement, to continue to actively comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 and all other relevant Security Council resolutions and remain engaged in the process.
"We believe that this would be an important step opening the way to a comprehensive and peaceful resolution of all pending issues between Iraq and the United Nations that takes into account the concerns of all affected parties, including Iraq's neighbors,"the leaders said in their two-page statement on the Iraqi crisis endorsed at the end of the summit.
It was reported that the United States has given Iraq until mid-March to destroy all weapons of mass destruction.
In their statement, the leaders noted that the current disarmament efforts in Iraq should not be an end in itself but should also constitute a step toward the lifting of sanctions in accordance with Security Council Resolution 687.
The leaders said a peaceful resolution of the Iraqi crisis would ensure that the Security Council would also be in a position to ensure Iraq's sovereignty and the inviolability of its territorial integrity, political independence and security.