March 20, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 16, 1424

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UNITED NATIONS, March 19: The United States was lambasted at the UN Security Council on Wednesday for its “unilateral” decision to take military action against Iraq, with foreign Ministers of France, Russia and Germany contending that the US action does not have the cover of international law or the UN Charter.

The United Nations charter, they asserted, did not provide for regime change by use of force.

“If today, we really had indisputable facts demonstrating that from the territory of Iraq there was a direct threat to the United States,” Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said his country would use “any means” to help.

But no proof has been produced, Ivanov said, and the Security Council had been brushed aside. But the symbolic protest at the United Nations is unlikely to affect Washington’s resolve to topple President Saddam Hussein.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin also denounced war, but noted that the Security Council must now look toward humanitarian aid. His remarks received applause.