Kuala Lumpur: In a balancing act, non-aligned (NAM) foreign ministers on dropped a
demand by key Arab states to describe a possible US military action in Iraq
as "aggression" but urged Baghdad to comply with UN Security Council resolution to
disarm.
A draft declaration on Iraq hammered out after two days of intense wrangling, said
Iraq must disarm and assure the world in a peaceful way that weapons of mass
destruction are eliminated in that country.
The document to be placed for consideration of the two-day summit from February 24
noted with grave concern the precarious and rapidly deteriorating situation arising
from the looming threat of war against Iraq.
It warned that war would have "far-reaching political, economic and humanitarian
consequences for all countries of the world".
The Arab members had earlier insisted that the draft take into account the threat of
unilateral action against Iraq.
Outlining the Indian position, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told reporters
that the 114-member grouping should put pressure on Washington to accept the UN
route for a peaceful solution to the escalating crisis.
He said "war should be avoided and a solution to the Iraq crisis found through the
UN Security Council.
PTI
