United Nations: Strongly advocating a peaceful resolution of the Iraq issue, India
has warned against danger of radicalisation of public opinion around the world if
military action is taken against Baghdad.
Asserting that force should be used only as "last, unavoidable option", India's
Ambassador to the United Nations V K Nambiar stressed on the need to
maintain "primacy of multilateral route" and asked the Security Council
to "seriously" consider humanitarian and political impact on the region before
deciding on a military action.
"Apart from the immediate consequences of military action in a region that is
already volatile, the Council would need to take into account the impact of possible
break up the concerned state on neighbouring states and its larger implications for
peace, stability and security of the region as well as the dangers of radicalisation
of the public opinion around the world," he said.
Participating in the debate of Iraq situation in the Council on February 18 in the
context of recent reports by chief weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed el
Baradei, Nambiar said before making final determination, the Council needs
to "seriously consider" the numerous complex ramifications that surround such a
step".
These include issues such as the danger posed by the development of weapons of mass
destruction and risks of their diversion to non-state actors, the credibility of
enforcement action, the rationale and effectiveness of weapons inspections and
continuing pressure of sanction, he told the Council.
Another set of issues, Nambiar said, concern the potential massive internal
displacements of people and possible refugee flow, the disruption of oil supplies
and other such economic and social repercussions of a possible outbreak of conflict.
"As a multilateral organ of the United Nations charged with the safeguarding of
international peace and security, the Security Council must give careful thought to
these questions and issues before it makes irrevocable move," he emphasised.
Urging Iraq to "co-operate actively" with the inspection process and comply fully
with all Council resolutions, he stressed on the need for the Council to act
unitedly.
Nambiar said India is concerned about difficult humanitarian situation in Iraq as
its people have suffered severe shortages and privations for over decade.
As many as 60 per cent of Iraqis depend on the UN's "oil for food" programme, which
a military action could jeopardise, he said, pointing out that it could render as
many as 10 million people dependent on the outside world for food assistance, he
added.
India, Nambiar said, is "vitally" interested in the peace and prosperity of the Gulf
region with which it had "profound" political, cultural, economic and religious ties
spread over Centuries.
"Our special interest in the current crisis arise from the presence of millions of
our expatriates that live and work in the Gulf region," he said.
PTI
