United Nations: Iraq need not be attacked and can be disarmed peacefully if the
international community maintains pressure on Saddam Hussein and inspectors continue
their job aggressively, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said.
"I am both optimistic and hopeful that if we handle the situation right, and the
pressure on the Iraqi leadership is maintained and the inspectors continue to work
as aggressively as they are doing, we may be able to disarm Iraq peacefully, without
need to resort to war," Annan said.
It is too early to consider any military offensive against Baghdad when the
inspectors are "just getting up to full speed," he told reporters on January 14.
Annan said he was opposed to unilateral military action by the US and Britain
against Iraq and favoured a second resolution by the Security Council authorising
force if inspectors are unable to do their job.
"If disarmament were to succeed, that is the end of the story. Otherwise the Council
will have to face up its responsibility," he said.
"Extremely worried" about possible impact of war on the Iraqi population, Annan said
the UN was drawing up plans to meet the requirements of a large number of refugees
needing assistance in case of military action against Iraq.
There was also some thinking about UN role in the post-conflict structures building,
he said, adding currently the focus was on the humanitarian aspect.
The UN has experience in building post-conflict structures including in Afghanistan,
Kosovo and East Timor he said, adding, however in Iraq's case "we are not assuming
anything".
Though Iraqi co-operation with inspectors was not perfect, it was better than it
used to be, Annan said, adding that the inspectors have found that there are major
gaps in the Iraqi declaration on the status of its weapons of mass destruction.
The inspectors would prefer proactive co-operation from Baghdad, he said, adding
this would be among the topics that are expected to come up when chief inspector
Hans Blix and director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Mohamed al Baradei go the Baghdad late this week.
"If there are unforeseen developments that make the Council determine that there is
a breach, then there should be serious consequences" but the situation has not
reached that point, Annan said.
Asked whether US' military build-up has been helpful, Annan said there is "no doubt"
that the American pressure was responsible for getting the inspectors back,
something that the UN tried unsuccessfully for four years after they left Iraq in
December 1998.
"Iraq agreed to allow them in four days after American President George W Bush
called for their return in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September likes
in cases of terrorism, describing it as a "murky area".
The pre-emptive policy, he said, is an extended doctrine of self-defence that is
a "difficult issue", pointing out that there have been instances in history where
the evidence to bolster a case of pre-emptive strikes was not needed.
PTI
