A P P E A L
TO THE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
REGARDING AMERICAN
THREATS TO IRAQ
In Belgrade October 28, 2002
The Belgrade Forum for the World of Equals, whose design is to
promote and advance the ideas of peace, understanding, equality in international
relations, democratic standards and human rights of people, is expressing
tremendous concern for the increase of direct and unjustified threats of war
against Iraq by the United States of America. By this Appeal to the domestic and
international community, the Belgrade Forum would like to expose the motives and
far reaching consequences of such a potential aggression.
Threats of attack
on Iraq are justified by the American Administration, as Iraq ostensibly either
produces or possesses weapons of mass destruction which represent a threat to
its security. Reacting to these threats, the Iraqi Government has recently
decided to accept the unconditional return of United Nations inspectors, who
have been permitted, without any limitations in the discharge of their duties,
to personally convince themselves on the justification or iniquity of such
American assertions. This, however, has not dissuaded the American
Administration, which is thriving forward with ever greater pressures and
preparations for an armed aggression against Iraq, the same being devoid of
consent by the Security Council of the United Nations whose member states, for
the most part, are endeavouring for a peaceful settlement of the dispute with
Iraq in the spirit of the Charter of the UN.
Such behaviour factually proves
that the American Administration is not interested in the ascertainment of truth
in allegations of manufacture or possession of weapons for mass destruction,
since the same is not the prime aim of its foreign policy and overall strategy.
It is, in fact, only searching for an excuse for an armed aggression against
Iraq, led entirely by wider interests and aims of America as the sole global
power. We are speaking of Americas desire to apply force in the liquidation of
the current Iraqi regime, which is judged to be "disobedient". She is, as in the
former aggression against Yugoslavia, in the want to demonstrate that an
identical or similar fate awaits every country which, by her standards, is
placed in the category of "renegade" states, ones who do not accept the American
concept of the New World Order, ie, her domination of the same.
In fact,
behind such warlike policies of America towards Iraq, stand her interests and
aspirations in the attestation of her status as the sole remaining superpower,
to distinctly and ever more solidify her position in this strategically
important region of the Near and Middle East, and more important still, to place
under control the enormous reserves of Iraqi oil. By such actions America is
aspiring to secure the further strengthening of her position in all
strategically important regions of the world, to impose marionette regimes in
the same, and to place under control the most important sources of raw materials
and energy, as well as strategic lines of communication. All this represents the
basis of a new, recently completed, American security doctrine, with aspirations
towards hegemony and domination.
Encouragement is to be found that in
certain countries, including the United States, a rise in voices can be heard
against American war plans and threats against Iraq. These plans, objectively,
expose a policy which today represents one of the greatest dangers against
peace, security and stability of the international community. Comprehension is
daily transcending that aggression against Iraq would, besides large numbers of
human casualties, destruction and enormous sufferings of the Iraqi people,
undoubtably represent a severe setback in international relations, peace and
stability in the world. It would severely inflame the already complex relations
between the West and the Muslim world, additionally destabilize the conditions
in the Middle East, worsening the already tragic position of the Palestinian
people. The aggression would also pave the way for further acts of lawlessness
and despotism of world powers in the broad international arena, with a real risk
of provoking wider international conflicts with unforeseeable consequences on
humanity. Such a war would further provoke deep disarrangement and instability
in international economic and financial relations, whose negative consequences
would additionally worsen the position, above all, of developing countries, as
well as other less developed ones.
We, however, wish to believe that common
sense is at last prevailing, and that the aggression against Iraq will be
averted.
On the basis of the above said, the Belgrade Forum is herewith
inviting the domestic and international community, in the spirit of anti-war
actions organized in certain parts of Europe and America, to firmly raise its
voice against American war plans against Iraq and against the policy of force in
international relations. It would analogously necessitate the engagement of all
peaceful and democratic forces of the world in the rehabilitation and full
affirmation of an independent and impartial role of the United Nations as
guardian of world peace and security. That would be an important supposition for
the curtailment of any attempts in the application of force in international
relations, contrary to the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United
Nations, for the strict respect of the basic principles of international law,
especially principles of sovereignty, independence and non interference in the
domestic policies of countries. The removal of threats of war against Iraq and
peace in the world would make a tremendous contribution to Iraq its self and its
consistent respect of relevant resolutions of the Security Council pertaining to
the discharge of the mandate of international inspectors for control of weapons
of mass destruction.
Taking into consideration the tragic consequences which
the people of Yugoslavia experienced in unjustified sanctions and brutal
aggression, the Belgrade Forum is expressing its support and solidarity with the
Iraqi people who have also been exposed to long term sanctions, whose victims
have been civilians, especially children and elderly people. For these reasons
the Belgrade Forum is calling upon the domestic and international community to
consistently engage themselves towards the Security Council and for the imminent
termination of unjustified sanctions against the Iraqi people, as well as for
the termination of the illegal and completely unjustified permanent bombing of
Iraq. From the international community, and especially the United Nations, we
expect provisions for the Iraqi people in the strict application of its right to
solely decide its fate and to live in peace and freedom, like any other people.
