ARAB-US RELATIONS - Sept. 23 - Bush At UN Defends Iraq Actions.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Pres. Bush says a transformed Iraq will transform the rest of the Middle East and "benefit the entire world, by undermining the ideologies that export violence to other lands". Casting the outcome of the war in Iraq as a victory over an inhumane dictatorship that had used torture and rape against its own citizens, Bush says: "The success of a free Iraq will be watched and noted throughout the region. Millions will see that freedom, equality, and material progress are possible at the heart of the Middle East". (But he offers no signs of any concession on the key issue of a timetable for the return of sovereignty by the occupation authorities in Iraq, something which France, Germany and other nations say is necessary if they are to offer further support for reconstruction efforts). He adds: "The primary goal of our coalition in Iraq is self-government for the people of Iraq, reached by orderly and democratic means. This process must unfold according to the needs of Iraqis - neither hurried nor delayed by the wishes of other parties". (The deep divisions remaining at the UN over Iraq were underlined subsequently by Pres. Chirac, who told the assembly: "No one can act alone in the name of all, and no one can accept the anarchy of a society without rules". The war, launched without the authorisation of the Security Council, shook the multilateral system. The UN has just been through one of the most grave crises in its history. Chirac repeated France's call for the earliest possible return of sovereignty to the people of Iraq. Earlier, UN Sec-Gen. Annan launched a broadside against the doctrine of unilateral pre-emptive use of force, questioning a central tenet of the US administration's security policy. Speaking ahead of Bush's speech, Annan said the doctrine "represents a fundamental challenge to the principles on which...world peace and stability have rested for the last 58 years. My concern is...that it will set precedents for the future use of lawless and illegal acts of force without justification". While Annan raised concerns over the strategy of unilateral pre-emption before, officials say the speech was his toughest criticism yet. He added: "The (UN) charter prescribes that all states, if attacked, retain the inherent right of self-defence. But until now it has been understood that, when states go beyond that, they need the unique legitimacy provided by the UN. Some say this understanding is no longer tenable, since an armed attack with weapons of mass destruction could be launched at any time, without warning. According to this argument states are not obliged to wait until there is agreement in the Security Council. Instead they reserve the right to act unilaterally, or in ad hoc coalitions". Annan said "we must show that (the) concerns (which make states feel vulnerable) can, and will, be addressed effectively through collective action". To that end, he announced his intention to form a "high-level panel" to examine challenges to peace and security, and rethink the role of UN institutions, including the Security Council).