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If Iraq fails to fully comply, the U.S. and others will disarm Saddam Hussein: Bush
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WASHINGTON,
November 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – U.S. President George
W. Bush on Friday, November 8, warned Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
that defying the unanimously approved U.N. resolution will bring
"the severest consequences" of U.S.-led military action.
"If
Iraq fails to fully comply, the United States and other nations will
disarm Saddam Hussein," Bush said from the White House Rose
Garden in the wake of the U.N. resolution.
He
stressed that Washington was not constrained by language in the
resolution calling for the U.N. Security Council to convene to discuss
Iraqi non-compliance before deciding on a course of action, said
Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"The
United States has agreed to discuss any material breach with the
Security Council, but without jeopardizing our freedom of action to
defend our country," said Bush, who was flanked by U.S. Secretary
of State Colin Powell.
Bush
said Saddam must immediately dismantle any chemical or biological
programs or stockpiles, welcome unfettered U.N. inspections, and give
inspectors access to "every document and every person" they
seek.
"His
cooperation must be prompt and unconditional, or he will face the
severest consequences," said Bush, who already had authorization
from the .U.S Congress to wage war on Iraq when he decides diplomacy
has failed.
Still,
Bush praised the U.N. Security Council after it wrapped up weeks of
tough negotiations and voted to send U.N. inspectors into Iraq with a
greatly enhanced mandate and a plan to return within seven weeks.
Calling
the measure the "final test" for Saddam's regime, Bush said
the body had "met important responsibilities, upheld its
principles, and given clear and fair notice that Saddam Hussein must
fully disclose and destroy his weapons of mass destruction."
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| If Saddam cooperates with inspectors there would be no need for regime change: Blair |
Meanwhile,
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saddam Hussein would definitely
face military action if he defied the unanimously approved United
Nations resolution.
"Defy
the U.N.'s will and we will disarm you by force. Be in no doubt
whatever over that," Blair told a Downing Street press
conference.
"My
message to him (Saddam) is this: disarm or you face force. There must
be no more games, no more deceit, no more prevarication, obstruction
or defiance," the prime minister added.
Blair
stressed that any military action against Iraq should Saddam not
follow the resolution to the letter would not be automatic.
"Conflict
is not inevitable but disarmament is," he said.
"In
the event of Saddam refusing to co-operate or being in breach, there
will be a further U.N. discussion, as we always said there would
be."
Blair
said Saddam had long been in "material breach" of
resolutions passed by the U.N. after the 1991 Gulf War, requiring him
to eliminate his chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs
along with any ballistic missiles which could deliver them.
If
Saddam co-operated with weapons inspectors, there would be no need for
war and no need for regime change, said Blair.
The
U.N. must be prepared to use force if Saddam continued to flout its
authority, he added.
"Everyone
now accepts that if there is a default by Saddam, the international
community must act to enforce its will.
"Failure
to do so would mean having stated our clear demand, we lacked the will
to enforce it."
If
force is necessary, Blair said, "the territorial integrity of
Iraq will be absolute," reassuring those who feared Iraq's
borders may be altered.
Blair
ended his response to the U.N.'s unanimous vote on the draft
resolution, co-sponsored by London and Washington, by telling the
Iraqi people: "we want you to be our friends and partners."
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The U.N. resolution offers a chance for Iraq to disarm in peace: Chirac
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French
President Jacques Chirac described the resolution on Iraq, unanimously
approved by the U.N. Security Council, as an opportunity for Baghdad
to get rid of its weapons in peace, "The vote by the Security
Council, by unanimity, in favor of resolution 1441 offers a chance for
Iraq to disarm in peace," Chirac, whose country has opposed any
wording that would give the U.S. an automatic green light to launch an
offensive in the event of Iraqi non-compliance, said in a statement.
But
he warned Iraqi President Saddam Hussein not to ignore the warnings of
the international community.
"The
message of the international community is clear.
"It
is united in telling Iraq that it is now time to cooperate fully with
the United Nations," he said.
"In
addition, this unanimous vote fully reaffirms the central role and the
responsibilities of the Security Council in the field of peace and
security, which was essential," Chirac said.
His
remarks came shortly after the U.N. security council accepted a
U.S.-drafted resolution to send U.N. inspectors into Iraq, backed with
a threat of "serious consequences" if Saddam Hussein fails
to scrap weapons of mass destruction.
France,
which wields a veto on the security council, wants the U.N. to
authorize any eventual use of force, and was opposed to any wording
that would give the U.S. an automatic green light to launch an
offensive in the event of Iraqi non-compliance.
In
Beirut, meanwhile, China's special Middle East envoy Wang Shejie
reiterated Friday that his country wants a peaceful U.N.-sponsored
solution to the Iraq crisis.
Wang's
remarks came shortly before the U.N. Security Council unanimously
passed a U.S.-drafted resolution to disarm Iraq.
"The
Iraqi problem can only be resolved through political means under the
United Nations framework," Wang told reporters after talks with
Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hamoud.
"The
priority now is to ensure the return of U.N. (arms) inspectors as soon
as possible and to decide the measures to take after the inspectors
have submitted their report to the Security Council," he added.
China
has persistently called for a settlement based upon U.N. resolutions
and expressed unease at the possibility of U.S.-led military action
against Baghdad.
Meanwhile,
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said on Friday the
U.S.-drafted resolution on disarming Iraq that was unanimously adopted
by the U.N. Security Council was "the best solution given present
circumstances", Interfax news agency reported.
"(It)
will open the door to an overall solution to the situation concerning
Iraq", Fedotov said.
"It
is important that the resolution was adopted unanimously.
"That
shows the U.N. Security Council is united on such an important
issue," he added.
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Iraq:
- Text of U.N. Security Council Resolution on Iraq
- EU, Germany, Canada Welcome U.N. Resolution on Iraq
- U.N. Resolution Sets 2 Clocks Ticking For Iraq, Blix in Baghdad in 10 Days
- Bush, Blair Warn Iraq of Military Action If Defying U.N. Resolution
- Chirac, Powell, Annan Asked Syria to Vote For UN Iraq Resolution
- U.N. Unanimously Votes to Start Arms Inspections in Iraq
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