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Arab nations call for UN meet to condemn Iraq war
United Nations, Mar 25: Arab nations on Monday called for an emergency Security Council meeting to demand an end to the US-led `aggression against Iraq` and the withdrawal of all invading forces. The Arab Group was following up on a decision taken by Arab foreign ministers in Cairo earlier Monday calling on the United States and Britain to withdraw their troops from Iraq immediately and without condition.
United Nations, Mar 25: Arab nations on Monday called for an emergency Security Council meeting to demand an end to the US-led "aggression against Iraq" and the withdrawal of all invading forces. The Arab Group was following up on a decision taken by Arab foreign ministers in Cairo earlier Monday calling on the United States and Britain to withdraw their troops from Iraq immediately and without condition.
"We will ask that the invasion stop, that the invading forces will be withdrawn, and that Iraq's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence will be preserved," said Arab League Ambassador Yahya Mahmassani. "It's vital, it's important that the meeting of the Security Council takes place as soon as possible," he said. By coincidence, Iraq this month holds the rotating chairmanship of the Arab Group. Immediately after the Arab Group finished their closed-door session, Iraq's UN Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri delivered a letter to Guinea's UN Ambassador Mamady Traore, the current Security Council president, asking for a meeting.
"We want ... to stop the aggression against Iraq and the Iraqi people, and to withdraw the foreign troops," said Syria's UN Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe, whose country is the only Arab nation on the Security Council. In order for the council to meet, only one of the 15 members has to ask for a session. But with the council still bitterly divided over the war, there was no chance that a resolution demanding an end to the fighting would ever be passed because it would be vetoed, if necessary, by the United States and close ally Britain. Washington and London tried unsuccessfully to get the Security Council to support the war but dropped a resolution last week setting an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein in the face of a veto threat by France and strong opposition from Russia, China and Germany. Mahmassani said that if Arab nations fail to get a resolution through the Security Council, "then we can move to the General Assembly."
No nation has veto power in the 191-member General Assembly, but its resolutions are not legally binding - unlike those in the Security Council. To get a special session of the General Assembly, supporters have to present a petition with 97 signatures. Kuwait's U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Abulhasan said his government "did not object" to the Arab Group's call for a council meeting. "We just exercised our solemn right of reservation because the same resolution did not include a condemnation of attack against Kuwait by Iraq," he said. Abulhasan said Iraq had fired 12 missiles into civilian areas of Kuwait, most of which exceeded the 150-kilometer (93-mile) limit allowed under UN resolutions. Bureau Report
"We will ask that the invasion stop, that the invading forces will be withdrawn, and that Iraq's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence will be preserved," said Arab League Ambassador Yahya Mahmassani. "It's vital, it's important that the meeting of the Security Council takes place as soon as possible," he said. By coincidence, Iraq this month holds the rotating chairmanship of the Arab Group. Immediately after the Arab Group finished their closed-door session, Iraq's UN Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri delivered a letter to Guinea's UN Ambassador Mamady Traore, the current Security Council president, asking for a meeting.
"We want ... to stop the aggression against Iraq and the Iraqi people, and to withdraw the foreign troops," said Syria's UN Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe, whose country is the only Arab nation on the Security Council. In order for the council to meet, only one of the 15 members has to ask for a session. But with the council still bitterly divided over the war, there was no chance that a resolution demanding an end to the fighting would ever be passed because it would be vetoed, if necessary, by the United States and close ally Britain. Washington and London tried unsuccessfully to get the Security Council to support the war but dropped a resolution last week setting an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein in the face of a veto threat by France and strong opposition from Russia, China and Germany. Mahmassani said that if Arab nations fail to get a resolution through the Security Council, "then we can move to the General Assembly."
No nation has veto power in the 191-member General Assembly, but its resolutions are not legally binding - unlike those in the Security Council. To get a special session of the General Assembly, supporters have to present a petition with 97 signatures. Kuwait's U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Abulhasan said his government "did not object" to the Arab Group's call for a council meeting. "We just exercised our solemn right of reservation because the same resolution did not include a condemnation of attack against Kuwait by Iraq," he said. Abulhasan said Iraq had fired 12 missiles into civilian areas of Kuwait, most of which exceeded the 150-kilometer (93-mile) limit allowed under UN resolutions. Bureau Report