HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en19787&F_catID=&f_type=source Hi Pakistan March 19, 2003 France, Russia, China, Germany oppose ultimatum -"There is no justification for a unilateral decision to resort to war," Chirac said in a statement recorded at the Elysee presidential palace. -"Does the threat posed by the Iraqi dictator justify a war, which is sure to kill thousands of innocent children, women and men? My answer in this case was and is: No!" Schroeder said in prepared remarks broadcast on ARD national television. -"The world, including Russia and other interested countries, must do everything necessary to seek a path that returns the situation around Iraq to a peaceful channel," said Oleg Chernov, deputy secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Security Council.... -China's new president, Hu Jintao, spoke by phone with his Russian and French counterparts, emphasising Beijing's opposition to war, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. -The Arab League rejected the ultimatum, accusing Washington of "acting outside international legality." "We regret the US decision to act outside the UN Security Council and outside international legality. It seems that the United States is intent on ending diplomatic action despite the desire of the entire world which considers that there is a real opportunity for peaceful settlement," he added. The spokesman also "voiced regrets for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's decision to pull out the inspectors" who had been checking for Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. PARIS: France, Russia, China and Germany were the major countries that on Tuesday opposed a US 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war. The Arab League also joined the majority of the world in opposing the ultimatum and US war plans. French President Jacques Chirac denounced US President George W Bush's decision to launch a war. Chirac said on Tuesday there was no justification for a unilateral war on Iraq. "There is no justification for a unilateral decision to resort to war," Chirac said in a statement recorded at the Elysee presidential palace. Use of force was "contrary to the will of the UN Security Council," he said. "Iraq does not represent today an immediate threat that would justify an immediate war," Chirac said. The use of military force against Baghdad "is a serious decision, while the disarmament of Iraq is proceeding and inspections have shown that they were a credible alternative to disarm this country", the French leader said. The French president made a final plea in favour of diplomacy, asking that the UN Security Council resolution that sent arms inspectors back to Iraq be respected. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder echoed Chirac's remarks, calling war on Iraq unjustifiable and asking that UN weapons be given more time. "Does the threat posed by the Iraqi dictator justify a war, which is sure to kill thousands of innocent children, women and men? My answer in this case was and is: No!" Schroeder said in prepared remarks broadcast on ARD national television. Russia will do all it can to restore peace if the United States launches a military attack against Iraq, a senior Russian official said on Tuesday as Russia's foreign minister prepared to travel to New York for a foreign ministers' meeting at the United Nations. "The world, including Russia and other interested countries, must do everything necessary to seek a path that returns the situation around Iraq to a peaceful channel," said Oleg Chernov, deputy secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Security Council, according to the Interfax news agency. Putin on Monday condemned military action against Iraq, warning that war would be a mistake. China's new president, Hu Jintao, spoke by phone with his Russian and French counterparts, emphasising Beijing's opposition to war, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. He emphasised efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully should not be abandoned. Hu told Russian President Vladimir Putin that "the door to peace should not be shut and China has made great efforts in this regard," Xinhua said. He expressed similar sentiments to French President Jacques Chirac. China's new premier called for "every effort" to avoid a conflict and said that UN weapons inspections must continue, even as he acknowledged that the situation appeared dire. "The arrow has already been placed on the bow," Wen Jiabao said in a speech on his second full day as China's premier. "As long as there is one glimmer of hope we will not give up our efforts for a peaceful settlement." The Arab League rejected the ultimatum, accusing Washington of "acting outside international legality." "The Arab League cannot accept such a final warning," the spokesman of the Cairo-based pan-Arab organisation, Hisham Yussef, told reporters. "UN Security Council Resolution 1441 does not contain a time limit and the world has acknowledged that Iraq was cooperating with UN weapons inspectors to implement this resolution," he said. "We regret the US decision to act outside the UN Security Council and outside international legality. It seems that the United States is intent on ending diplomatic action despite the desire of the entire world which considers that there is a real opportunity for peaceful settlement," he added. The spokesman also "voiced regrets for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's decision to pull out the inspectors" who had been checking for Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
