Japan should stand for peaceful resolution through continued inspections

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a news conference on February 19 commented on. Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Haraguchi Koichi's speech expressing support for a new U.N. resolution on Iraq at a U.N. Security Council meeting on February 18 (EST). Shii's remarks are as follows:

Ambassador Haraguchi early on February 19 (JT) spoke on behalf of the Japanese government in a meeting the UNSC held to hear opinions on the Iraq situation and he expressed doubts about the effectiveness of continued inspections. He stated that Japan considers it desirable for the Security Council to adopt a second UNSC resolution that would clearly demonstrate the determination of the international community.

This is an inexcusable government position that paves the way for the U.S. use of force in defiance of overwhelming international opinion calling for a peaceful solution through continued and strengthened inspections.

The Japanese government representative stated that doubts persist about the effectiveness of continued inspections. This contradicts the U.N. weapons inspectors' report to the UNSC and is groundless.

Hans Blix, executive chairman of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) in his February 14 report stated as follows:

(1) "Iraq provides full cooperation on 'process' granting immediate access everywhere to inspectors and on substance, providing full declarations supported by relevant information and material and evidence."

(2) Regarding cooperation on substance, "In the words of Resolution 1441, it requires immediate, unconditional and active efforts by Iraq to resolve existing questions of disarmament either by presenting remaining proscribed items and programs for elimination or by presenting convincing evidence that they have been eliminated. In the current situation, one would expect Iraq to be eager to comply. Such cooperation, as I have noted, requires more than the opening of doors."

This is why an overwhelming majority of the UNSC members supported weapons inspections as effective and called for the issue to be solved peacefully through continued and strengthened weapons inspections.

The Japanese government's call for a new UNSC resolution, integral to the denial of the effectiveness of inspections, will inevitably call for a break in the ongoing efforts to achieve a peaceful solution through continued and even strengthened weapons inspections. It will play a harmful role in paving the way for the U.S. use of force.

A groundswell of the largest ever movement against war and for a peaceful solution is now sweeping the world. An overwhelming majority of the world's governments is making efforts to achieve a peaceful solution. By contrast, the Japanese government's attitude is shameful. It should at once change its position and call for a peaceful solution through continued and strengthened weapons inspections. (end)