UN Security Council to Hold Ministerial Meeting on Iraq on Wednesday

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 18, 2003

UN Security Council to Hold Ministerial Meeting on Iraq on Wednesday

The United Nations Security Council has agreed to hold a ministerial meeting to discuss the program of work for UN inspections in Iraq, diplomats at the UN Headquarters in New York confirmed Monday.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The United Nations Security Council has agreed to hold a ministerial meeting to discuss the program of work for UN inspections in Iraq, diplomats at the UN Headquarters in New York confirmed Monday.

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Mikhail Wehbe told reporters that the agreement was made at an emergency council meeting Monday morning, which discussed the withdrawal of UN inspectors from Iraq.

An official of the UN spokesman's office confirmed that Germany,France and Russia had pushed for a ministerial meeting to be held Tuesday, but such an idea was strongly opposed by the United States and Britain.

She said the council finally agreed to upgrade an open debate, scheduled for Wednesday on Iraq, to the foreign-ministerial level.

The ministerial meeting, the fifth of its kind this year, was proposed by France, Germany and Russia in a joint declaration circulated Sunday among the council members.

German Ambassador to the UN Gunter Pleuger said that the meeting would provide a final chance for the council to get a consensus on how to disarm Iraq.

British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock announced earlier in the day that the United States, Britain and Spain had decided to stop their efforts to push for a council vote on their draft resolutionseeking UN approval of war with Iraq.

"We will not pursue a vote on our draft resolution in blue," hesaid, adding that the three countries would act to disarm Iraq on their own.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Six Undecided Security Council Members Propose Extending Iraq Deadline

UN Security Council to Hold New Public Session on Iraq

Security Council to Meet Monday on Joint Statement on Iraq

China Warns US not to Send Wrong Signals to Taiwan ( 3 Messages)

Germany smashes US Fancy of Submarine Sale to Taiwan ( 2 Messages)

Who'll Pay Money for US-Planned 'Toppling Saddam'? ( 7 Messages)

Chinese Scientists Refute US Claims on Rocket Data Transfer ( 3 Messages)

Traditional Chinese Medicine Grabs World Attention ( 16 Messages)