UN Security Council opens debate on Iraq
The UN Security Council on Monday began consultations following the US - British attacks against Iraq.
AFP reported that the council's consultations are expected to be difficult, but the members will try to agree unanimously on a presidential draft declaration that Russia has presented. The divisions will be clear regarding the UN committee in charge of dismantling the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, UNSCOM.
Before the closed-door meeting, the French delegate told reporters that he would consider the Security Council's adoption of a unified position concerning the future during the coming days as a positive development.
France, however, is proposing to form a new commission to inspect Iraqi armaments and confirms the necessity of changing UNSCOM chief Richard Butler.
Meanwhile, China has called on the UN Security Council to reclaim the initiative regarding Iraq after the end of US - British air strikes.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua said in a Monday commentary, Beijing awaits the UN council to restore the initiative for resettling the Iraqi crisis. The Agency also added that settlement of the crisis is "hopeless due to the American-British intransigence."
Earlier, China called for an immediate resumption of diplomatic efforts to solve the problem of arms inspection teams in Iraq.
Beijing also renewed the call to oust UNSCOM chief Richard Butler.
In New Delhi, visiting Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov said Moscow would not change its attitude towards the United States' bombardment of Iraq, stressing that using force without restoring to the Security Council is a big mistake. Primakov expressed satisfaction over the termination of the attacks on Iraq but said the renewal of the attacks is possible.
The Russian prime minister voiced support for setting up a strategic China - Russia - India triangle to guarantee political stability in the region. "If we succeeded in establishing the triangle, it would be a very good matter," the Russian Premier commented.
In Warsaw, scores of Arabs living in Poland demonstrated in front of the US and British embassies. The protesters voiced solidarity with Iraq. They burnt a US flag and delivered separate messages to US President Bill Clinton and to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In Paris, German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping expressed his government's regret over Washington's and London's air attacks on Iraq. Following a meeting with his French counterpart, Alain Richard, Scharping called for drawing up a new plan to supervise Iraq's weapons system.
In Khartoum, the Sudanese Cabinet on Sunday made a decision condemning the US attacks.
In Amman, Jordan's Parliament on Monday adopted a decision calling for lifting the embargo on Iraq, and asked the government to implement this decision and render aid to Baghdad. The Jordanian parliament called on the Arab Parliamentary Union to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the recent attacks and put pressure on Arab states to shoulder the responsibility of securing Arab national security from collapse. The Jordanian Parliament also appealed to the international community to prevent the repetition of the attacks and to put an end to bypassing international charters.
Further reports said that Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said the Iraqi crisis can not be settled except through the UN Security Council and UN organizations. In an interview with the BBC on Monday, Moussa stressed the importance of dealing properly with the crisis in terms of the Council and the UN resolutions. Moussa referred to major demonstrations held in several Arab countries, saying, "They were the Arab citizens' direct reaction to the aggression on an Arab state."
In Beirut, youths and student organizations held a series of meetings in which they denounced the American attacks against Iraq. Participants decided to observe general assemblies at all the faculties, institutes and schools of Lebanon to condemn the attack, to demand lifting the sanctions and the evacuation of the US forces from the Middle East.