13 September 2002
Powell Begins Talks on U.N. Iraqi Resolution
(U.S. wants deadline for Iraqi compliance) (680) By Judy Aita Washington File U.N. Correspondent United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council will begin discussing the details of a resolution to deal with Iraqi non-compliance with its Gulf War cease-fire demands, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said September 13. "All the members of the council are now seized with the issue and recognize the challenge that Iraq does present to international law and to the mandate of the Security Council and they understand we cannot continue in this manner," Powell told journalists after his meetings with council members. The secretary said that beginning the week of September 16, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte will take the lead in talking with council members on the elements of a new resolution or resolutions. "We haven't written a resolution and we haven't come to a judgment on what will be in a resolution yet," Powell said. "But one thing I'm reasonably sure of, is that whatever resolution we do come up with must have a deadline to it." "It cannot be a resolution such as the resolutions in the past where they are issued and there is no subsequent action to comply or to be made to comply with the terms of the resolution," he said. But Powell said that he did not propose specific language for the resolution during his meetings. "This is the beginning of a dialogue," he said. "I presented an outline of what I thought appropriate as a way of moving forward." "We will now work with our friends in the Security Council to see what elements should be in a new resolution," he added. "All of the ministers have to have time now to consult with their governments -- cabinets, prime ministers and presidents," the secretary said. Powell said he promised the ministers that "the United States will be engaged with each one of the 15 members of the Security Council in the days and weeks ahead in order to come up with appropriate resolutions or one resolution to deal with this." Asked if Iraq would be given a list of what it needs to do to comply with the Security Council's 16 resolutions, the secretary said that "what they need to do they have known for the last 11 years." Powell met September 13 with the foreign ministers of the other four permanent members of the Security Council as well as the ten non-permanent members of the council. He said that he was "pleased with the response" to President Bush's General Assembly speech that he received from the ministers at both meetings. "We're off to a good start," the secretary said. The permanent members of the council, who hold veto power, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The non permanent members of the council in 2002 are Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Guinea, Ireland, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, and Syria. In his General Assembly speech President Bush laid out his case against Saddam Hussein and challenged the international community to stand up to the Iraqi regime. Saying that the Iraqi president poses a threat to peace and stability in the world, Bush said if Saddam Hussein "defies us again, the world must move deliberately, decisively to hold Iraq to account." The president said that he would work with the Security Council but "the purposes of the United States should not be doubted." Powell also met September 13 with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC). "Within the GCC I found understanding and support for the president's speech," he said. "I think they are also anxious to see Iraq comply with previous resolutions and I suspect they will be in touch with the Iraqi leadership." "President Bush came here to lay out the challenge to the United Nations. He did that very effectively and (GCC ministers) recognize that and expressed their appreciation for the clarity of the president's position," Secretary Powell said. "They also did point out to me the position of the GCC and the Arab League that there should not be a conflict in the region," the secretary said. Powell said that the United States will also consult with the Gulf states as negotiations on the resolution progress. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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