U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on Iraq to admit weapons inspectors or face any consequences the Security Council decides to impose.
In an unusual move to stress the significance of his comments, the United Nations released Annan's speech to Thursday's opening of the General Assembly ministerial meeting Wednesday night.
According to AP, this step will give prominence to Annan's position ahead of President Bush's speech to the General Assembly outlining his case for possible U.S. attack against Iraq.
Advocating the importance of international cooperation for "even the most powerful countries," Annan said any state that is attacked retains the right to self-defense under the U.N. Charter. But he opposed any pre-emptive action without Security Council backing.
"When states decide to use force to deal with broader threats to international peace and security, there is no substitute for the unique legitimacy provided by the United Nations," Annan said.
Annan, in his address, said: "The more a country makes use of multilateral institutions -- thereby respecting shared values, and accepting the obligations and restraints inherent in those values -- the more others will trust and respect it, and the stronger its chance to exercise true leadership."
"Even the most powerful countries know that they need to work with others, in multilateral institutions, to achieve their aims," Annan said.
He also indicated that time was running short for Iraq to admit weapons inspectors and dismantle any chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. "The leadership of Iraq continues to defy mandatory resolutions adopted by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter," which allows the use of military force, he said.
"I appeal to all who have influence with Iraq's leaders to impress on them the vital importance of accepting the weapons inspections," Annan said. "This is the indispensable first step toward assuring the world that all Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have indeed been eliminated, and — let me stress — toward the suspension and eventual ending of the sanctions that are causing so many hardships for the Iraqi people."
"I urge Iraq to comply with its obligations — for the sake of its own people, and for the sake of world order," Annan said. "If Iraq's defiance continues, the Security Council must face its responsibilities."
In his speech, the secretary-general puts Iraq second on a list of four current threats to world peace "where true leadership and effective action are badly needed." First on the list is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where he said "an international peace conference is needed without delay." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
