JCP calls for peaceful resolution of Iraq question within U.N. framework
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo called a press conference on November 13 to make the following statement on the U.N. Security Council resolution on Iraq adopted on November 8:
On November 8, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1441 on Iraq. The key issue in the UNSC discussion was whether the UNSC should or should not allow the United States to automatically attack Iraq if it fails to comply with the obligations imposed by the new resolution.
Largely reflecting international calls for a war to be averted, the resolution excludes the automatic use of force. The resolution made clear that Iraq's incompliance will be reported to the UNSC for discussion on further steps to be taken.
Statements by UNSC members show clearly that the terms of the resolution were the consensus of the U.N. body.
U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte stated that the resolution contained no "hidden triggers" and no "automaticity" with respect to the use of force.
It is very significant that in a rare move, three UNSC permanent members, France, Russia, and China, have issued a joint declaration stating that Resolution 1441 "excludes any automaticity in the use of force."
Syria, the only Arab member of the UNSC, voted for the resolution, the stated reason being that Syria had received from the United States and Britain, as well as France and Russia, reassurances that the resolution would not be used as pretext to strike Iraq and did not constitute a basis for "automaticity."
It is very important that exclusion "of any automaticity in the use of force" was part of the consensus of the international community.
Resolution 1441 has paved the way for resolving the problem peacefully within the U.N. framework. It will be important for the international community to make efforts towards getting this possibility to become reality.
For this to happen, Iraq is strongly called on to accept the resolution and allow U.N. weapons inspections into Iraq's sites unconditionally.
The U.S. plan to attack Iraq in disregard of the U.N. framework must be abandoned. U.S. government leaders are still reiterating that they won't hesitate to attack Iraq even without U.N. authorization. Any such U.S. action would amount to making a preemptive attack in violation of the U.N. Charter. Such an action will be condemned as a failure to comply with the procedure established in the UNSC resolution which the United States voted for. We take this occasion to demand that the United States revoke its plan to attack Iraq. (end)