KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22: The 114-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) compromised on Saturday on a declaration on the Iraq crisis after complaints from some members that it leaned too far in favour of Baghdad.
After intense haggling, senior officials agreed in principle to a watered down version of a resolution presented by the Arab bloc in the movement, which represents more than two-thirds of United Nations members.
A copy of the new draft showed that paragraphs proposed by Arab member states for NAM to “categorically reject the threats of unilateral use of force” and express “support and solidarity with Iraq vis-a-vis the possible aggression against it” have been dropped.
A warning that a war would “adversely affect global efforts to combat international terrorism” has also been deleted.
Instead, it suggests NAM countries “reaffirm our commitment to exert our efforts to achieve a peaceful solution” and calls for the “persistent continuation” of efforts to avert war against Iraq.
Several states, including US allies Singapore, Chile and Kuwait, said the earlier Arab draft was tilted towards Iraq, without clear reference to UN Resolution 1441.
The resolution was first mentioned in the original draft proposed by host nation Malaysia but dropped in the Arab version.
Reference to the resolution has been reinserted into the new draft but in the context of welcoming Iraq’s move to cooperate with UN inspectors which it said would “assure the world in a peaceful way that weapons of mass destruction are eliminated in Iraq”.
It urged Iraq to “continue to actively comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions”, which it called a step towards the lifting of sanctions against Baghdad.
A peaceful solution would support a UN Security Council resolution aimed at declaring the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, including Israel.
“There is clear mention of Resolution 1441 in the new version. The language is now more balanced. It is better,” said a Middle East delegate.
But the draft still has to be endorsed by NAM foreign ministers before it is submitted to leaders at a two-day summit beginning on Monday.
Six NAM members, Pakistan, Syria, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea and Angola, sit on the UN Security Council. The council is expected to debate a second resolution paving the way for the forceful disarmament of Iraq next week.
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Mohammad Alsalem Alsabah laid the blame on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein for the Gulf tension.
“Iraq is not complying fully and this is what is producing the tension in our region. It is not a question of war or peace. It is a question of respecting international law and international legitimacy,” he said.
Kuwait would not support any unilateral US action against Iraq but he said Washington was “working within international legitimacy” by tabling a new UN resolution next week.
But Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told reporters that Baghdad was cooperating with the UN inspection team and urged NAM states to use their oil and other resources to dissuade Washington from attacking.
“Third world countries have lots of means to stop the war. Oil and many other means can be used,” he said.
“The US is using food and medicine to punish other countries, as a means of war against other countries. So why don’t NAM countries use their resources to stop colonial war policies?”
HUMAN SHIELD: Twenty-two French anti-war protesters who have volunteered to position themselves in Iraq in an effort to discourage attacks on that country left Paris on Saturday, the Muslim group organizing the trip said.
“We are not going there to die, but to prevent the deaths of other people,” said Mohamed Ennacer Latreche, head of the French Muslims Party (PMF).
He said the group, whose members did not have entry visas for Iraq, were initially headed for Syria, from where they intended to travel to the Iraqi border by car.
Latreche said the ages of the people in the group ranged from 21 to 74, and not all were members of the party. Once in Iraq, they hoped to stay with local residents, he said.
France is home to an estimated five million Muslims, most of them of North and sub-Saharan African origin.
The PMF, which says it is non-religious in character, claims some 2,000 members. It was created in 1997 and has its headquarters in the eastern city of Strasbourg.—AFP