Iraqi crisis reaches its most critical stage
Iraq, International, 2/18/1998

UN Security Council permanent members Russia and China announced on Tuesday that they do not support a military strike against Iraq.

In a joint statement by Russian President Boris Yeltsin with chairman of the Chinese State Council, Lee Peng, on the results of their talks at the Kremlin on Tuesday, they said Russia and China call for a peaceful settlement to the crisis, providing for Iraq's full implementation of UN concerned resolutions, so as open the way to lift the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

The two leaders expressed deep concern over developments pertaining to the Iraqi crisis, highlighting the importance of the mission of the UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to Iraq. Annan said, "This is not going to be an easy mission," but he also said, "I think I have all I need" to reach a solution while in Iraq. He said that he had received encouragement from Iraq and that he had a "very constructive" talks with President Clinton, during which Clinton expressed the US preference for a diplomatic solution.

Annan stated that no agreement has been reached as yet with Iraq, and said in reference to reports that this is a last-ditch effort before the US takes military action, "I don't think that is misplaced."

Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said in a televised statement to the Russian ATR that he has indications that Iraq is ready to carry out UN demands. Yeltsin yesterday warned against using military force to settle it. In a statement before the Russian Parliament in the Kremlin, Yeltsin said that Russia will work firmly for Iraq to implement UN resolutions, noting that he had "personally" dedicated much of his time to dealing with the crisis.

This comes as France issued yesterday very strongly worded comments by
Anne Gazeau-Secret, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson, saying "The US must understand that we are a permanent member of the UN," referring to some of the concerns France conveyed in talks held with Iraq's foreign minister.

This is happening as Annan gets ready to leave Friday for Iraq with full support for his mission from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The US ambassador to the UN, Bill Richardson, said that "We wish him well."

Richardson said, "The United States is supportive of his trip" but "we reserve the right to disagree if the conclusion of the trip is not consistent with UN resolutions and our interests." Richardson said Annan was given verbal instructions from all 5 permanent UN Security Members. "There should be no deals, no compromises," he said, repeating the US call for "the complete integrity and inviolability of UNSCOM" and 'full, unconditional, unfettered access" to all sites for UNSCOM inspectors.

The Vatican said Pope John Paul II sent "encouragement to Mr. Kofi Annan to go to Baghdad, to dissuade (all parties) from every military action."

Annan seemed optimistic about his trip and said that he hoped the Iraqis are "prepared on working with me to solve this problem."

This critical shift in the US position as a result of the strong international opposition, was signaled in a speech yesterday at the Pentagon where the US president Bill Clinton put the emphasis of solving the problem on the implementation of the "essence" of the UN resolutions against Iraq giving diplomatic maneuvering space for Annan to find a solution.

Previous Stories:
  What has a Catholic priest to say about Iraq   (2/18/1998)
  Clinton rallies domestic support for strike at Iraq   (2/17/1998)
  Diplomats in Russia - France - China on Iraq   (2/14/1998)

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