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Months Later, Annan Says Iraq Invasion “Illegal”
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"Yes … from the chapter point of view, it was illegal," Annan said
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NEW
YORK, September 16 (IslamOnline.net) – Eighteen months after Iraq had
been invaded and occupied, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called the
US-led onslaught “illegal” and contravenes the UN charter.
In
an interview with the BBC World Service Wednesday, September 15, Annan,
replying to a question on whether he believed Iraq war was illegal,
said, “Yes, if you wish. I have indicated it was not in conformity
with the UN Charter from our point of view, from the chapter point of
view, it was illegal.”
Annan
said the 15-member Security Council should have approved the invasion of
the Arab country – which has the world’s second oil reserves.
“I
hope we don't see another Iraq-type operation for a long time ...
without UN approval and much broader support from the international
community,” Annan added.
“Painful
Lessons”
“Painful
lessons” had been learnt since the invasion of Iraq, Annan said in the
interview, carried by the BBC News Online.
“Lessons
for the US, the UN and other member states. I think in the end
everybody's concluded it's best to work together with our allies and
through the UN,” he said.
He
said he believed there should have been a second UN resolution following
Iraq's failure to comply over weapons inspections.
And
it should have been up to the Security Council to approve or determine
the consequences, he added.
On
March 10, 2003 – ten days before the massive US-British invasion –
Annan said in a news conference in The Hague that if a military action
was taken without the Security Council blessing, “it would not be in
conformity with the Charter.”
The
United States and Britain withdrew a draft resolution in the council in
mid-March after it was clear there were not enough votes to back it up.
France
had threatened to veto if UN inspectors were not given more time to
account for Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, and two other
veto-wielding resolution China and Russia showed reservations.
Washington,
however, said it would invade Iraq for destroying its weapons of mass
destruction – none of which have been found more than one year and a
half after the invasion.
That
has raised accusations to the US that the offensive on the oil-rich Iraq
was based on false pretexts.
In
an earlier interview published March 5, former Chief UN weapons
inspector Hans Blix said the Iraq invasion was illegal as the United
States and Britain “hyped”
intelligence to attack the oil-rich country.
“I
don't buy the argument the war was legalized by the Iraqi violation of
earlier resolutions,” Blix said.
The
head of the US team of 1,200 experts searching Iraq for WMD concluded
that no such weapons have
been found.
Furor
Annan
belated statement has drawn anger among countries whose troops have
joined the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
The
British government said Thursday, September 16, the war in Iraq was
“not only lawful but necessary”.
“We
spelt out at the time our reasons for believing the conflict in Iraq was
indeed lawful and why we believed it was necessary to uphold those UN
resolutions,” Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said on BBC
Radio.
Hewitt,
whose government sent troops in support of the US-led invasion, conceded
there was disagreement between international lawyers over the legality
of the invasion.
Hewitt
added she respected Annan's views on the matter and regretted the fact
that the government disagreed with him.
Blix
had earlier accused the British government of “over-interpreting”
intelligence on Iraq's alleged capability of deploying weapons of mass
destruction within 45 minutes, lashing out at the "culture of spin
and hyping" adopted by Downing Street.
Australian
Prime Minister John Howard also rejected Annan's remarks, saying the
legal advice he was given was “entirely valid”.
In
an oblique reference to last year's protracted attempts to get the
United Nations to endorse the invasion of Iraq, Howard said its decision
making procedures were slow.
“The
problem with the United Nations - it is a wonderful body in many
respects and it does great humanitarian work - is that it can only
proceed at the pace of the collective willingness of the permanent
members,” Howard said.
The
Japanese government said Annan's comment was “unclear” as its
foreign minister stuck to the line that the invasion was justified.
Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi has been one of the most vocal supporters of
the Iraq invasion led by US and British troops, despite widespread
objections from the general public in Japan.
“It
is still unclear how Mr. Annan expressed his view and from what
standpoint in relation to United Nations Security Council resolutions
and other matters,” Hosoda was said.
Iraq
Elections
Annan
also warned in the interview there could not be “credible elections if
the security conditions continue as they are now”. The US is trying to
lobby support for elections to be held as set for January 31.
The
UN secretary general was speaking one day after his top envoy to Iraq,
Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, said the security situation will be the overriding
factor in determining how many UN international staffers can return to
Iraq.
Qazi
spoke Tuesday at a Security Council meeting called to discuss Annan's
latest report on Iraq, which warned that violence could make
it more difficult to create the conditions for successful
elections.
US
Ambassador John Danforth on September 14, urged nations to contribute
troops and money to provide security so the United Nations can return to
Iraq, especially to help with upcoming elections.
“Everybody
who cares about Iraq believes the election should be held and the
election should be held on schedule,” Danforth said.
“The
UN's presence is very important.”
There
is now a ceiling of 35 UN staff in the country.
Observers
believe that any delay of the Iraqi elections and continued violence in
Iraq would cast a pall on Washington’s bids to legalize its military
presence in the oil-rich country – so far deemed an occupation even by
the UN– and draw more support from world countries.
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