International

Iraqi position aided by a stubborn Israel

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) MAY 8 . If Iraq does not exactly follow U.N. resolutions — and sometimes, even when it does — it gets attacked. If Israel fails to obey the Security Council, the U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, backs down. In what appears to be a stacked circumstance, however, Iraq is showing that it is capable of utilising the situation.

Israel, with the help of a threatened U.S. veto, was able to prevent an effort to have the Security Council begin an investigation into the events that took place in the West Bank town of Jenin, during Israel's invasion in the first week of April. Such an investigation could have led to a finding that Israel had committed human rights abuses. Instead of a full investigation, however, Israel was able to ensure that Mr. Annan would only send a fact-finding mission, an idea that the U.S. supported and with which Israel said it would cooperate.

Mr. Annan said later that he had accommodated Israel in respect of all of its complaints. After the mission was set up, however, Israel began raising a series of objections, claiming that the mission was out to "get us" and declared that it could not cooperate. At that point, Mr. Annan could have sent the issue back to the Security Council, but instead, he announced his intention to disband the fact-finding body at the end of last week.

Meanwhile, since the middle of last week, Mr. Annan's office and an Iraqi delegation led by the Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, have been holding discussions on the resumption of arms inspections. One more round of talks is scheduled, but the word from Baghdad is that the inspections are likely to resume some time in the near future.

The Iraqi delegation was reported to have held talks with the head of the U.N. Arms Monitoring, Verification and Certification Agency, Hans Blix, and with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed al Baradei, on the "technical" aspects of the inspections.Iraqis also have political matters on the agenda — particularly questions of lifting sanctions, the legitimacy of the U.S.-and British-enforced "no fly zones", and Washington's plans for a regime change — which have not yet been addressed.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Terror and hate have struck again: Chirac
• Pak. dismisses Advani's charge
• Arafat orders end to attacks
• It was the pilot's decision, says Norway
• Iraqi position aided by a stubborn Israel
• 'U.S., Pak. getting closer'
• Sharon cuts short U.S. strip
• Taiwan issue key to Sino-U.S. ties
• Second U.S. Navy ship in Colombo this week
• China plane crash kills all on board
• Dutch election on schedule
• Enron directors received $ 50 m. bonus for Dabhol
• Russia criticises U.S. stance
• Implement accord: Chittagong leader
• Prevent unlawful assembly, Amnesty tells Nepal
• Media ownership shake-up in U.K.

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu