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http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2002092101881500.htm



The Hindu
September 21, 2002


Canada denies shifting stance on Iraq  
By Sridhar Krishnaswami 


Ottawa   sept. 20.  Canada supports "totally'' the
position of the United States and is calling for a new
United Nations Security Council Resolution on Iraq
that will bring about clarity. 
"I respectfully disagree with Mr. (Igor) Ivanov. I
disagree with the Russian position on this'', the
Canadian Foreign Minister, Bill Graham, said. In an
exclusive conversation with The Hindu on several
issues, Mr. Graham talked at length on Iraq and
rejected the contention that there had been a change
in Canada's position on the issue. "We haven't changed
our policy at all'', the Minister insisted. "What we
said at the beginning was that where this should be is
in the United Nations, that if the United States acts
unilaterally... it would not only destabilise the
region but totally destabilise world order and be
destructive to global governance'', Mr. Graham argued,
going on to say that the U.S. President, George W.
Bush, came to the United Nations and challenged the
world body to do something about Iraqi defiance. "By
doing that, he (Mr. Bush) totally changed the dynamics
and as a result put the ball in Iraq's court... and as
a result of intense pressure on Iraq... everybody has
been saying to Iraq, `Look, you you�ve got to conform
now���. 
"Canada's position has been, this has to be in the
context of the U.N. But it's got to work. We were
worried before the U.S. destroying the United Nations
if it acted unilaterally. But if this doesn't work,
it'll equally destroy the United Nations. That's why I
said there's no wiggle room for Iraq'', he argued. Mr.
Graham's formulations on Iraq were clearcut.'' Iraq
has to conform now to the inspections. They have to be
open, transparent, effective and complete. That was my
message to the Iraqi Foreign Minister and that's
totally consistent with the position that Canada has
always taken'', he stressed. "Canada always recognised
Saddam Hussein's dangerous regime. We were never naive
about Saddam Hussein. What we didn't want was to take
action against him in a way that would affect world
order. If we take action within the framework of the
United Nations, it's a totally different debate''.
Ottawahas warned the Saddam regime of using this as a
ploy to buy time. "Iraq has changed the dynamics of
the debate, but I don't think we should go back to
where we were before... If this is just a ploy by Iraq
to bide time and fool everybody, that's not going to
work'', Mr. Graham said. 
"One of the most important things this time is to have
clarity. Let us develop clarity and that will be
achieved by a clear U.N. Resolution that makes it
clear this has to be done. I support totally the
position that Mr. (Colin) Powell has taken to have a
new United Nations Security Council Resolution
reaffirming the need for inspections and setting out
the requirements that would have to be done...'', Mr.
Graham said.

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