Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-09-Speech-3-055"
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"en.20021009.5.3-055"2
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"Mr President, after September 11, a broad international coalition was formed to combat terrorism. This battle is still taking place here in Europe. Al Qaida sleeper networks still remain in 52 countries. After 30 January this year, President Bush’s speech on the state of the Union disconcerted many Europeans. The countries described as ‘the axis of evil’ no longer had anything to do with international terrorism. Fortunately, at the time, Commissioner Patten spoke out, clearly distancing himself from the unilateral, over-simplistic American policy. The US is now trying to impose a concept of pre-emptive war against Iraq which falls outside the scope of international law. In today’s speech by the American Government, it was no longer possible to dissociate concerns about oil from legitimate concern over weapons of mass destruction, equally legitimate concerns over human rights and Saddam Hussein himself as a person, whom Mr Bush professes to hate. We should not adopt this mixed bag as our own approach, since the various factors need to be addressed separately.
Europe has always backed the United Nations Security Council. For the past few months, however, we have witnessed a veritable bid, instigated by the United States, to take control of international law – a policy of double standards. In some cases violations of human rights and United Nations Security Council resolutions are flouted and go unpunished, while in others they are not.
We are also witnessing major internal division within the European Union and preparation for a war that would constitute a real confrontation between civilisations and would undoubtedly strengthen the terrorism we are trying to fight. In this strong-arm contest, this race against time, it is the credibility of the UN and Europe that is at stake. One thing is certain, if there is military intervention in Iraq, the Iraqi people, who have already suffered so much, will defend themselves to the last and we will not enter Baghdad as liberators."@en1
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