Weapons whisper. War waits. The world watches. Wisdom wins.The international crisis over the United Nations Special Commission's (UNSCOM UNSCOM United Nations Special Commission ) weapons inspections in Iraq was defused through the intervention of Secretary-General Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1 1997 to January 1 2007, serving two five-year terms. He was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. , and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a legal document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action and may not imply a legal commitment. between the United Nations and Iraq on 23 February. In it, Iraq reaffirmed its acceptance of all relevant Council resolutions and reiterated its undertaking to "cooperate fully" with UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency International Atomic Energy Agency: see Atomic Energy Agency, International. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International organization officially founded in 1957 to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. (IAEA IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency. ), and to allow their inspectors "immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access" to all sites, including the eight controversial "presidential sites", listed separately in an Annex an·nex tr.v. an·nexed, an·nex·ing, an·nex·es 1. To append or attach, especially to a larger or more significant thing. 2. to the Memorandum. The United Nations reiterated the commitment of all Member States to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity Territorial integrity is the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states. Conversely it states that border changes imposed by force are acts of aggression. of Iraq. The agreement was endorsed by the Security Council on 2 March in Resolution 1159 (1998). The Secretary-General, upon his return from Baghdad on 24 February, briefed the Council. He emphasized that, in contrast with other agreements between the United Nations and Iraq, "this one was negotiated with President Saddam Hussain himself" and would reveal a "qualitative difference" in Iraq's attitude. He praised various world leaders For a list of heads of state, see . World leaders is a MMORPG. The game involves creating a state, joining an alliance and going into war. It is mostly played by players from Israel, China, USA, Britain, Brazil and Saudi-Arabia. for contributing to the success of his mission: the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and the United Kingdom for demonstrating firmness and making military force available; and China, the Russian Federation Russian Federation: see Russia. and France for encouraging a diplomatic solution. All around the world, millions of people had supported his Iraq mission, making its outcome a victory for the United Nations as a whole. The Secretary-General called for ongoing arrangements, including "a mechanism for resolving conflicts before they become dilemmas and almost bring us to the brink of war". Council President Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. Dangue Rewaka of Gabon thanked the Secretary-General for his initiative and encouraged him to continue working toward a "prompt and lasting solution of that matter". "What is important is that, in my judgement, this agreement can and should work", Mr. Annan told the Press at Headquarters, after briefing the Council. "There is a qualitative difference about this agreement that the others did not have. First of all, we have to remember that in the years that the United Nations has been present in Baghdad, many agreements have been signed, but none have been negotiated and approved with Saddam Hussain. This one was negotiated with the President himself, and the leadership has got the message that he wants cooperation, he wants it done. They are very disciplined and hard-working people, and I think that with that leadership we will see a qualitative difference in their attitude. "We on the United Nations side, as well as UNSCOM staff members, also have to handle Iraq and the Iraqis with a certain respect and dignity and not push our weight around and cause tensions", the Secretary-General stated. "And I think we need to make other arrangements and take steps to ensure that the relationship can be maintained smoothly. We should have a mechanism for resolving conflicts before they become dilemmas and almost bring us to the verge of war. "I think there are lessons in this for everyone. But this could not have happened if all involved - including the Iraqi leadership - had not shown what I asked for: courage, wisdom, flexibility. And I thank all those involved for giving us a ... chance. "But it is a victory not for me, if we call it victory, but a victory for the United Nations, for this Organization, which sent me there as a servant", Mr. Annan stated. "And I hope that this new phenomenon, where peoples from all over the world come together and focus on something and get it resolved, is something that we are going to see more and more of, whether in the landmine ban or in the general popular support for a peaceful solution", he stressed. On the same day, General Assembly President Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine expressed congratulations to the Secretary-General on the conclusion of the agreement with Iraq. The President was "particularly inspired to know that United Nations diplomacy has brought about concrete results, and that the threat of aggravation Any circumstances surrounding the commission of a crime that increase its seriousness or add to its injurious consequences. Such circumstances are not essential elements of the crime but go above and beyond them. of the situation has been averted a·vert tr.v. a·vert·ed, a·vert·ing, a·verts 1. To turn away: avert one's eyes. 2. ". He expressed hope that "this achievement will lay a new basis for a future United Nations-Iraqi relations, which will be based on mutual trust, understanding and respect for the international law". UNSCOM moves on with Inspections UNSCOM's Executive Chairman, Ambassador Richard Butler ''Richard Butler may refer to: Military:
Reduction in armaments by one or more nations. Arms reductions may be imposed by a war's victors on the defeated (as happened after Germany's defeat in World War I). Affairs, as the Commissioner heading the Special Group that would conduct the inspections of presidential sites. On 25 February, Stefan de Misura, head of the five-person team sent to Iraq from 15 to 18 February to map the presidential sites, reported that these had been carefully measured. The measurements yielded specific data: the total size of the sites was 31.5 square kilometres Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km² is equal to:
On 13 March, Mr. Butler told the Press at Headquarters that the situation had improved and there was "no reason to believe it will not continue to do so in the future". The agreement had worked well so far and had helped both sides, he stated. Asked what percentage of UNSCOM's work was completed, Mr. Butler said UNSCOM had "come a long way in missiles, a fairly long way in chemistry, but it has a long way to go in biology". Furthermore, a percentage of a given quantum could only be calculated if that finite quantum was known. "Iraq must first give UNSCOM all the necessary materials, including declarations, and allow it to visit all the sites that were required for verification", he declared. The Secretary-General's Memorandum of Understanding had "created a new situation", giving UNSCOM an "unprecedented opportunity to complete its mandate", and he would do whatever he could to ensure that outcome, Mr. Butler stated. He went on to say that UNSCOM Inspector Scott Ritter rit·ter n. pl. ritter A knight. [German, from Middle High German riter, from Middle Dutch ridder, from r had just met with the Secretary-General at Headquarters, at the latter's request. Mr. Ritter briefed Mr. Annan on the work of the UNSCOM team, which ended its work on 9 March, including what happened during benchmark inspections of sensitive sites. "It was a benchmark inspection because the team had been granted unprecedented access, both in terms of the number of inspectors that had been allowed entry and the manner in which access was granted to the sites of inspection", Mr. Butler stated. Asked if the eight presidential sites would be placed under long-term monitoring, he said the teams would perform a baseline inspection and then determine what was required for the future. He could not answer the question until that first step was completed. Yet, a footnote Text that appears at the bottom of a page that adds explanation. It is often used to give credit to the source of information. When accumulated and printed at the end of a document, they are called "endnotes." to the special procedures stated that UNSCOM could employ all available methodologies in carrying out its mandate under the various Security Council resolutions, Mr. Butler stressed. The stand-off between the United Nations and Iraq began on 11 January with the arrival of an UNSCOM weapons inspection team. Claiming the team to be dominated by American nationals, Iraq refused to cooperate on the question of entry into some sites, and blocked inspections. The team left Baghdad after five days without having been able to carry out its work. The Security Council on 14 January deplored Iraq's refusal to provide UNSCOM access to all sites as being in clear violation of relevant resolutions. On 23 January, it rejected as "unacceptable" the Iraqi Government's proposed moratorium A suspension of activity or an authorized period of delay or waiting. A moratorium is sometimes agreed upon by the interested parties, or it may be authorized or imposed by operation of law. on inspections until technical meetings on outstanding issues had been held. UNSCOM decided not to suspend its inspections as it had done earlier during the previous impasse im·passe n. 1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac. 2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations. that lasted from 29 October to 20 November 1997. On 15 January, IAEA reported that Iraq agreed to reissue re·is·sue v. re·is·sued, re·is·su·ing, re·is·sues v.tr. To issue again, especially to make available again. v.intr. To come forth again. n. 1. its "full, final and complete declaration" on nuclear weapons. Its report covered the visit of a team of six technical specialists to Baghdad from 19 to 21 December. Garry Dillon, head of the IAEA team, said the visit sought to provide a"comprehensive and technically coherent picture of Iraq's clandestine CLANDESTINE. That which is done in secret and contrary to law. 2.Generally a clandestine act in case of the limitation of actions will prevent the act from running. nuclear programme". Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Republic of Iraq 1 The Government of Iraq reconfirms its acceptance of all relevant resolutions of the Security Council, including resolutions 687 (1991) and 715 (1991). The Government of Iraq further reiterates its undertaking to cooperate fully with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 2 The United Nations reiterates the commitment of all Member States to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. 3 The Government of Iraq undertakes to accord to UNSCOM and IAEA immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access in conformity with the resolutions referred to in paragraph 1. In the performance of its mandate under the Security Council resolutions, UNSCOM undertakes to respect the legitimate concerns of Iraq relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc national security, sovereignty and dignity. 4 The United Nations and the Government of Iraq agree that the following special procedures shall apply to the initial and subsequent entries for the performance of the tasks mandated at the eight Presidential Sites in Iraq as defined in the annex to the present Memorandum: a) A Special Group shall be established for this purpose by the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Executive Chairman of UNSCOM and the Director General of IAEA. This Group shall comprise senior diplomats Some famous diplomats include: Afghanistan
b) In carrying out its work, the Special Group shall operate under the established procedures of UNSCOM and IAEA, and specific detailed procedures which will be developed given the special.nature of the Presidential Sites, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. c) The report of the Special Group on its activities and findings shall be submitted by the Executive Chairman of UNSCOM to the Security Council through the Secretary-General. 5 The United Nations and the Government of Iraq further agree that all other areas, facilities, equipment, records and means of transportation shall be subject to UNSCOM procedures hitherto established. 6 Noting the progress achieved by UNSCOM in various disarmament areas, and the need to intensify in·ten·si·fy v. in·ten·si·fied, in·ten·si·fy·ing, in·ten·si·fies v.tr. 1. To make intense or more intense: efforts in order to complete its mandate, the United Nations and the Government of Iraq agree to improve cooperation, and efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of work, so as to enable UNSCOM to report to the Council expeditiously ex·pe·di·tious adj. Acting or done with speed and efficiency. See Synonyms at fast1. ex under paragraph 22 of resolution 687 (1991). To achieve this goal, the Government of Iraq and UNSCOM will implement the recommendations directed at them as contained in the report of the emergency session of UNSCOM held on 21 November 1997. 7 The lifting of sanctions is obviously of paramount importance to the people and Government of Iraq and the Secretary-General undertook to bring this matter to the full attention of the members of the Security Council. RELATED ARTICLE: Inspectors Begin Visits to Presidential Sites On 24 March, 18 diplomats arrived in Baghdad, to accompany the UNSCOM and IAEA inspectors to eight presidential sites. With two diplomats already resident in Baghdad, the United Nations had all the 20 diplomats identified by Commissioner Dhanapala. On 26 March, the inspectors spent eight hours going over parts of a presidential site - the Radwaniyah Palace Radwaniyah Palace (also known as Al Radwaniyah Presidential Complex) was the main presidential site and resort for the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The complex is located in western Baghdad. , a 9.3 square area with some dozen villas, five artificial lakes and streets lined with palm trees - previously declared off limits. One diplomat, Horst Holthoff of Germany, described the cooperation of the Iraqi authorities as "fantastic, absolutely positive", news agency reports said. |
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