Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-03-01-Speech-4-008"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20010301.1.4-008"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome this opportunity to comment on a topical and important issue. On Friday 16 February, as we all know, American and British warplanes attacked military targets outside Baghdad. As we also know, the background to these attacks was said to be an increase in Iraqi anti-aircraft fire aimed at the British and American war planes patrolling what are known as the no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. The Americans and the British have made statements emphasising that the actions were taken in self-defence, as well as the fact that they were routine and must not be seen as an escalation of, or change to, the policy. We also know that several countries have been critical of the actions.
The UN Security Council briefly discussed this issue in informal consultations on 20 February when statements were also made reflecting expected positions. The UN’s Secretary-General has also commented on what happened and said, ‘Obviously, the timing is a bit awkward for the talks I am going to have on 26 February’. That was the Secretary General’s reference to the high-level talks which have just now been concluded between the UN’s Secretary-General and Iraq’s Foreign Minister and which therefore took place last Monday.
The Presidency notes that there are different views within the European Union about the basis in international law for these military actions, including the maintenance of what are called the no-fly zones. We know that one Member State took part in the actions and that other Member States have complained about what happened. At the same time, we know that the common foreign and security policy implies a common position.
The common foreign and security policy is being developed gradually at the pace decided by the Member States and will obviously be that much stronger if the EU’s Member States hold a common view. At the same time, we must respect the fact that there are issues we view differently. In this connection, I would nonetheless take a positive view of the dialogue embarked upon in New York between the UN’s Secretary-General and the Iraqi Government. We obviously hope that the talks can help break the deadlock and that Iraq will make up its mind to cooperate with the UN and the UN’s weapons inspectors on the basis of the current Security Council resolutions.
It might also be noted that the American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has recently come out in favour of an overhaul of the American policy of sanctions. Mr Powell has also expressed the hope that, within a couple of weeks, the United States might present its ideas on such an overhaul in more detail.
The conditions under which the Iraqi people have to live, together with lasting security and stability in the region, are the most important issues for the Council when it comes to the latter’s policy towards Iraq. The Council is at present investigating the EU’s opportunities for making humanitarian and cultural contributions, especially to the ‘oil for food’ programme, within the framework of the UN Security Council’s existing resolutions on Iraq. It is important for the Iraqi Government to cooperate if it is to be possible to implement such a programme.
Security Council Resolution No 1284, adopted on 17 December 1999, allows for a suspension of the sanctions, provided that the Iraqi Government cooperates fully with the UN’s inspectors responsible for disarmament in Iraq."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples