Push for Rapid Security Council Vote on Iraq
The United States and Britain are pushing for a quick vote on a new Iraq resolution that will be introduced in the UN today.
But France and Germany are backing an amendment to ensure that Iraq’s new interim government can veto major operations by the US led multinational force.
US Ambassador John Negroponte said a revised draft – the fourth in two weeks – will be introduced today. The US is hoping to finalise the text tonight ”with the idea of voting on it on Tuesday afternoon or Tuesday evening,” he said.
proval of the resolution would take debate over its contents off the agenda at the Group of Eight summit which President George Bush is hosting in Georgia, starting on Tuesday.
Russia, a veto-wielding Security Council member that strongly opposed the Iraq War, said that the latest revisions had improved the resolution.
Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said he hoped it could be put to a vote ”within the next few days.”
But France and Germany – backed by Chile, Algeria and other Security Council members – still want changes in the text, especially on the critical relationship between the new government and the multinational force that will remain in Iraq after the US and Britain hand over sovereignty on June 30.
The Security Council held a special meeting last night to discuss letters from the new Iraqi government and the United States making clear that sovereignty will be transferred and outlining a new military partnership.
The letters will be included in the resolution as annexes, but France’s UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said it was very important to also include a reference in the resolution.
He proposed an amendment spelling out the interim government’s authority over Iraqi forces and stating that it’s agreement “will be required on sensitive offensive operations.”
While some council members have been calling for the new government to have a veto over operations such as the recent siege of Fallujah by coalition forces, Iraq’s new interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, did not specifically ask for such power in his letter to the Security Council.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell also pledged in a letter on behalf of the multinational force that it would work with the Iraqis “to reach agreement on the full range of fundamental security and policy issues, including policy on sensitive offensive operations.”
Security Council members have been stressing the importance of adopting a unanimous resolution to send a united message of international support to the Iraqi people and the new government.
A French diplomat said if the United States and Britain agree to the French amendment, Paris will vote ”yes” on the resolution.
Negroponte said the council was moving toward consensus but he indicated US opposition to the French amendment, saying the negative connotation of a veto does not reflect the spirit of partnership in the resolution.
British Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry said he was confident that the letters did “the trick.”
In his letter, Allawi told the council that his government will retain sole control of the country’s armed forces and work in “full partnership” with the multinational force to co-ordinate joint military operations and security policy through a variety of new bodies.
Powell said US-led troops “will co-ordinate with Iraqi security forces at all levels.”
The latest draft resolution says the interim government will have authority to ask the force to leave. But Allawi indicated in his letter that the force will remain at least until an elected transitional government takes power early next year.
The current draft resolution also calls for UN members states and regional and international organisations to provide troops for the multinational force.
But France proposed a second amendment yesterday that would require any such assistance to be requested by the interim Iraqi government.
- Scotsman
The United States and Britain are pushing for a quick vote on a new Iraq resolution that will be introduced in the UN today.
But France and Germany are backing an amendment to ensure that Iraq’s new interim government can veto major operations by the US led multinational force.
US Ambassador John Negroponte said a revised draft – the fourth in two weeks – will be introduced today. The US is hoping to finalise the text tonight ”with the idea of voting on it on Tuesday afternoon or Tuesday evening,” he said.
proval of the resolution would take debate over its contents off the agenda at the Group of Eight summit which President George Bush is hosting in Georgia, starting on Tuesday.
Russia, a veto-wielding Security Council member that strongly opposed the Iraq War, said that the latest revisions had improved the resolution.
Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said he hoped it could be put to a vote ”within the next few days.”
But France and Germany – backed by Chile, Algeria and other Security Council members – still want changes in the text, especially on the critical relationship between the new government and the multinational force that will remain in Iraq after the US and Britain hand over sovereignty on June 30.
The Security Council held a special meeting last night to discuss letters from the new Iraqi government and the United States making clear that sovereignty will be transferred and outlining a new military partnership.
The letters will be included in the resolution as annexes, but France’s UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said it was very important to also include a reference in the resolution.
He proposed an amendment spelling out the interim government’s authority over Iraqi forces and stating that it’s agreement “will be required on sensitive offensive operations.”
While some council members have been calling for the new government to have a veto over operations such as the recent siege of Fallujah by coalition forces, Iraq’s new interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, did not specifically ask for such power in his letter to the Security Council.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell also pledged in a letter on behalf of the multinational force that it would work with the Iraqis “to reach agreement on the full range of fundamental security and policy issues, including policy on sensitive offensive operations.”
Security Council members have been stressing the importance of adopting a unanimous resolution to send a united message of international support to the Iraqi people and the new government.
A French diplomat said if the United States and Britain agree to the French amendment, Paris will vote ”yes” on the resolution.
Negroponte said the council was moving toward consensus but he indicated US opposition to the French amendment, saying the negative connotation of a veto does not reflect the spirit of partnership in the resolution.
British Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry said he was confident that the letters did “the trick.”
In his letter, Allawi told the council that his government will retain sole control of the country’s armed forces and work in “full partnership” with the multinational force to co-ordinate joint military operations and security policy through a variety of new bodies.
Powell said US-led troops “will co-ordinate with Iraqi security forces at all levels.”
The latest draft resolution says the interim government will have authority to ask the force to leave. But Allawi indicated in his letter that the force will remain at least until an elected transitional government takes power early next year.
The current draft resolution also calls for UN members states and regional and international organisations to provide troops for the multinational force.
But France proposed a second amendment yesterday that would require any such assistance to be requested by the interim Iraqi government.
- Scotsman
publicado por MP às 00:14
