Koizumi Backs Bush's Ultimatum on Iraq

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

Koizumi Backs Bush's Ultimatum on Iraq

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday he supports U.S. President George W. Bush's ultimatum giving Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 48 hours to go into exile or face a U.S.-led war.

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Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday he supports U.S. President George W. Bush's ultimatum giving Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 48 hours to go into exile or face a U.S.-led war.

''Now that it is determined (Iraq) has no intention to (completely) disarm, I believe it appropriate to support America's (possible) use of force,'' Koizumi said in his clearest-ever statement about how Tokyo will deal with the Iraq crisis.

''I believe President Bush made an anguished decision...I think the decision was inevitable,'' Koizumi said.

The premier said Japan will not send troops to Iraq to fight in the event of war due to the nation's war-renouncing Constitution. He did not elaborate on what kind of support Japan can lend to help rehabilitate a post-Saddam Iraq.

Koizumi reiterated no additional U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution will be necessary before the expected attack because past ones, including 1441, have already lent legitimacy to use of force to disarm the Iraqi leader.

It is ''regrettable'' to see the UNSC failing to unite in dealing with the Iraq crisis, the premier said.

But Koizumi said the maintenance of the Japan-U.S. alliance should be given priority given it has helped Japan develop in peace for more that half a century after World War II.

On Monday in Washington, Bush declared the 48-hour ultimatum in a televised White House speech after the U.S., Britain and Spain earlier in the day gave up putting to a vote a resolution paving the way for U.N. authorization of military action.

Source: Agencies

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