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| January 1, 2003 | Wednesday | Shawwal 27, 1423 |
Pakistan joins UNSC today
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 31: Pakistan would join the ranks of powerful 15-member United Nations Security Council on Wednesday (Jan 1) at a most critical juncture when it is to determine whether Iraq is in “material breach” of its resolution 1441, following a report by the Chief UN Weapons Inspector, Hans Blix.
“Pakistan hopes for a peaceful resolution of the Iraq dispute, that any enforcement of UN resolution 1441 should be explicitly authorized by the UN Security Council,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram.
Any determination by the UN Security Council that Baghdad is in “material breach” of the resolution, or has failed to cooperate with the weapons inspectors under its provisions, which stipulate that it come clean about its weapons programme, could trigger a war against it, led by the United States.
In an interview with Dawn, on the eve of joining the most powerful organ of the world body at one of the most defining moments in its history, Akram noted that the Council would receive two reports from the chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, one on Jan 9, the other on Jan 27, on Iraqi compliance with the UN resolution.
“These reports as mandated by the UNSC are crucial for the Council to determine whether or not Baghdad “actively cooperated” with the UN weapons inspectors,” Akram observed.
For Iraq, the Jan 27th report by Mr Blix would be the most crucial.
Although the United States and Britain have been saying that Baghdad has not come clean on its weapons programme, Akram held out the hope that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would cooperate with the UN inspectors fully to avoid a war.
Underscoring the point that “Pakistan is taking a principled position that all UN Security Council resolutions should be faithfully implemented,” Pakistan’s chief delegate to the United Nations said: “We will explore all avenues”, including corrective action by the United Nations Security Council, to seek a resolution of the festering Kashmir dispute with India.
He noted that since the UN Security Council adopted the resolution on Kashmir calling for a plebiscite in the disputed Kashmir territory, all kinds of solutions have been rejected by India.
“In early 50s’ there was the multilateral push by the UN Security Council. Then, later in the late 50s and 60’s, the UN’s special envoys were sent to the region to explore the possibilities of a resolution and, in the aftermath of the 1971 war with India, both the countries resorted to bilateral talks to resolve the issue but so far none has succeeded,” observed Akram.
He said: “Once again we intend to activate all the avenues to seek peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.”
He said that Pakistan would seek: 1) Bilateral talks; 2) Third parties to mediate or facilitate dialogue between the two countries; and 3) Seek corrective UN Security Council action to resolve the dispute.
“We have to study all options and take action to once again bring the issue to the notice of the international community,” he asserted.
When asked to comment on the situation in the Korean peninsula following North Korea’s decision to kick out International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s inspectors, Akram declined to make any comment, saying: “It’s too early to comment on the issue until it is presented to the Council.”
Pakistan, Chile, Spain, Angola and Germany are joining the 15-member United Nations Security Council on Wednesday.
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