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1) Jacques Chirac: France To Veto War Resolution 2) Russia Vows Support To Iraq To Avert War 3) China Toughens Anti-War Stance 4) Indian Prime Minister: If Unilateralism Prevails, Disastrous Consequences For The World Order http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2003031203391400.htm The Hindu March 12, 2003 France to veto resolution By Vaiju Naravane -The French press has been overwhelming in its praise of Mr. Chirac. Polls indicate that 69 per cent of the population is in favour of France using its veto. Paris March 11. France will vote against the United Nations Security Council resolution on Iraq proposed by Britain, Spain and America. The French President, Jacques Chirac, made the announcement on Monday in a live televised interview. This was the first time the French leader has directly addressed his countrymen since the beginning of the Iraq crisis. ``Whatever the circumstances France will vote no, because there is no need for war to disarm Iraq,'' Mr. Chirac said. He again called for further inspections adding that in his estimation, a draft resolution giving Iraq an ultimatum would fail to garner the qualified majority of nine votes. However, even if nine non-permanent Security Council members were in favour of such a resolution, France would vote "no'', Mr. Chirac said. The Spanish Foreign Minister, Ana Palacio, who was to have met her French counterpart, Dominique de Villepin, in Paris on Tuesday cancelled her visit. Mr de Villepin has just returned from a two-day trip to Angola, Cameroon and Guinea, three vacillating non-permanent members of the Security Council, in an attempt to lobby their support for the no-war camp. On television, Mr. Chirac was calm and deliberate, attempting to explain France's anti-war stance. "I am convinced, at this point in time, that this resolution containing an ultimatum that gives the green light to war does not have the support of nine members of the Security Council,'' Mr Chirac said. He said Paris would not participate in any military action against Iraq but added that France would be present at the reconstruction stage which he felt should be carried out under the auspices of the U.N. However, he appeared to step back from his earlier suggestion that heads of state and Government should be present at the Security Council vote. The United States President, George W. Bush, had rejected Mr. Chirac's call for such a meeting. "Of course, I will not go alone,'' Mr. Chirac remarked. He was careful not to antagonise the U.S. in any way, insisting that America and France were friends and allies. He brushed aside suggestions that Washington could impose sanctions on France and boycott French exports, saying, "We live in a globalised world.'' Mr. Chirac said such counter-measures were no longer possible because trade practices fell under the purview of the World Trade Organisation and because France was part of the European Union. The French press has been overwhelming in its praise of Mr. Chirac. Polls indicate that 69 per cent of the population is in favour of France using its veto. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2003031203311400.htm The Hindu March 12, 2003 Russia vows support By Vladimir Radyuhin -Mr. Seleznyov, who is No. 3 in the Russian hierarchy after the President, is the highest Russian official to visit Iraq in years. The visit could reflect Moscow's growing confidence that war can be delayed, if not averted altogether. MOSCOW MARCH 11. Russia has promised Iraq that it will reject any Security Council resolution that will authorise the use of force against that country. The promise was contained in a message from the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, carried to Baghdad by the Speaker of the Russian Parliament Lower House, Gennady Seleznyov. Mr. Seleznyov, who had a three-hour meeting with Mr. Hussein on Sunday, described his one-day visit as "very successful.'' ``Iraq reaffirmed willingness to comply with all provisions of (Security Council) resolution 1441, and we reiterated that we will not pass any resolutions allowing the Americans and the British to invade Iraq,'' he said today upon return from Baghdad. Mr. Seleznyov, who is No. 3 in the Russian hierarchy after the President, is the highest Russian official to visit Iraq in years. The visit could reflect Moscow's growing confidence that war can be delayed, if not averted altogether. Mr. Seleznyov is the Russian President's second envoy to meet Mr. Hussein in the past two weeks. Mr. Putin has used this lifeline between Moscow and Baghdad to fine-tune Russia's position on the crisis. Last month, the former Russian Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, visited Baghdad to get Mr. Saddam's assurances about the destruction of Al-Samoud 2 missiles two days before Iraq announced its compliance with the inspectors' demand. The advance knowledge enabled Russia to cement the anti-war coalition with France, Germany and China ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/11/1047144964074.html Sydney Morning Herald March 11, 2003 Agence France-Presse China toughens anti-war stance March 11 2003 -After sitting on the fence for months, China has increasingly taken an anti-war stance alongside France, Russia and Germany. Beijing: China has toughened its anti-war stance with President Jiang Zemin telling US counterpart George W Bush the international community has a consensus on Iraq and the issue must be resolved through the Security Council. "The international community does have a consensus on the Iraq issue," Jiang told Bush in a telephone conversation yesterday, the official Xinhua news agency reported today, paraphrasing the Chinese leader. "Great efforts should be made to maintain the unity and authority of the UN Security Council and implement the Resolution 1441 (on Iraqi disarmament) well," he said, adding that it was the "foundation for resolving the crisis". With just days left before the UN Security Council votes on a new resolution widely seen as paving the way for military action against Baghdad, Bush reiterated that Iraq posed security concerns to the United States, Xinhua said. Bush yesterday led a frenzied campaign to win votes for UN approval of war, hoping to salvage at least a symbolic victory in the face of French and Russian veto threats. While China has clearly stated its opposition to war, it has not yet threatened a veto. China, along with France, Russia, Britain and the United States, is a permanent Security Council member with veto powers. Jiang spelled out to Bush that weapons inspections should be continued and the issue resolved peacefully but also demanded Iraq "comprehensively, strictly and thoroughly carry out the UN Security Council's resolution". "(It) cannot possess weapons of mass destruction," he said, Xinhua reported. Jiang also discussed Iraq with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in another telephone call last night, the China Daily said. Both sides agreed that the UN inspectors' work should not be abandoned. The frantic phone call diplomacy followed discussions between Jiang and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday in which Jiang insisted the weapons inspectors' most recent report delivered last Friday showed progress had been made. "If only the weapons inspections are continued and strengthened, it is possible to achieve the goal of solving the Iraq issue politically within the UN framework," Jiang said, according to state television. Jiang told Blair that "war does not hold advantages for anyone". "Our world is facing many problems, and the problems will not be solved by relying exclusively on armed force," he said. Last Thursday Jiang spoke to French President Jacques Chirac, agreeing that the door to peace must not be closed. After sitting on the fence for months, China has increasingly taken an anti-war stance alongside France, Russia and Germany. Britain has stood by the United States in pushing for military strikes against Iraq if it does not comply fully with the UN resolution. Beijing has long enjoyed friendly relations with Iraq, but is also keen to not jeopardise relations with the United States, which have improved in the past year following a rocky period. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_210738,0005.htm The Hindustan Times March 12, 2003 Give more time to Iraq, India urges UNSC Agence France-Presse New Delhi, March 12 -Vajpayee's statement in parliament marks the first time New Delhi has expressed a clear position on the looming debate in the Security Council on the Iraqi crisis. -Vajpayee's statement...came out strongly against possible go-it-alone plans by Washington. -"If unilateralism prevails, the UN would be deeply scarred with disastrous consequences for the world order," Vajpayee said. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Wednesday urged the UN Security Council to give Iraq more time to disarm before pursuing a war option and warned that any unilateral action would leave the council "deeply scarred". Vajpayee's statement in parliament marks the first time New Delhi has expressed a clear position on the looming debate in the Security Council on the Iraqi crisis. "The Security Council should give more time," he said. "We hope that the Security Council members will consider this." Reports on Wednesday in the local media said the US has been pressing India, a big democracy of the Non-Aligned Movement, to adopt a neutral position on the military option. Vajpayee's statement, however, came out strongly against possible go-it-alone plans by Washington. Any action against Iraq, he said, should be through consensus in the Security Council. "If unilateralism prevails, the UN would be deeply scarred with disastrous consequences for the world order," Vajpayee said. "The government of India would strongly urge that no military action be taken which does not have the collective concurrence of the international community. "If permitting more time and formulation of clearer criteria can facilitate a decision with the UN framework, we believe this option should be given a chance." Vajpayee added: "We have always wanted a peaceful resolution of the issue." __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online http://webhosting.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 ==^================================================================