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Nations take sides after Powell's speech
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Britain and France were at opposite ends of Security Council reaction Wednesday after U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation of what the United States says is proof of Iraq's noncooperation with mandates to disarm. Mohammed Aldouri, Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, denied the U.S. allegations, saying they were "utterly unrelated to the truth." Powell told the U.N. Security Council that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had engaged in an "active and systematic effort" to hide its weapons of mass destruction from U.N. weapons inspectors and has given training and safe harbor to al Qaeda terrorists. Powell used electronic intercepts, satellite photographs and other intelligence sources to try to convince skeptical members of the council that Iraq was actively working to deceive weapons inspectors. (Powell: Iraq is hiding weapons) In Baghdad, Gen. Amer al-Sa'adi, science adviser to Saddam, called Powell's speech a "typical American show complete with stunts and special effects." (Iraq: Powell evidence untrue) U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he still believes war against Iraq is "not inevitable," and he urged Iraq to comply fully with U.N. weapons inspectors. While Britain staunchly backed the U.S. position that Iraq is already in material breach of U.N. resolution 1441 and France just as staunchly insisted that inspections could still bring about a solution to the crisis, the rest of the Security Council fell somewhere in between. Powell's information, said Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, would help weapons inspectors complete their task and should be handed over to them immediately. Outside the Security Council chamber Tang made absolutely clear his country's position. "So my final point is that although nowadays you hear a lot of talk which suggests that war is inevitable, China remains in the belief that this problem should be worked out through political means, through the framework of the Security Council," he said. (Asia reacts cautiously) Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Russia still hopes for a political settlement to the Iraq situation "on the basis of complete and strict compliance with U.N. resolutions" but made it clear that Iraq must cooperate fully. "Iraq should be the first to be concerned about providing final clarity about the question of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems," he said. "That is the only way to a political settlement." But it was France, considered a key to the success of President Bush's drive for U.N. support for military action against Iraq, that held fast in its opposition to war. Instead, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin called for an "enhanced regime of inspections" to force Saddam to cooperate with Resolution 1441 requiring Iraq's disarmament. After hearing Powell's presentation, Villepin said war could be a last resort, but France remains convinced that a political solution is possible. "Given the choice between military intervention and an inspections regime that is inadequate because of a failure to cooperate on Iraq's part, we must choose the decisive reinforcement of the means of inspections," Villepin said. He offered French assistance for a strengthened inspection regime, and said that Powell's presentation offered further justification for the Security Council resolution. "France is convinced that we can succeed on this demanding path if we maintain our unity," he said. At a lunch that followed Powell's presentation, diplomats said he responded to the French foreign minister's concerns about the impact war with Iraq would have on the region by saying, "I wasn't talking about war, but about strengthening inspections." The diplomats said Powell also made clear to Villepin that the United States is not ready to go to war immediately, and is interested in hearing France's proposals to strengthen inspections with the added value of the evidence Powell presented. Germany fell in behind France in calling for a strengthened inspection regime, saying Villepin's proposal deserved a close look. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that although Iraq has constantly violated U.N. resolutions and Saddam's regime is "terrible for the Iraqi people," the inspections must go on. But, he said, "Iraq has to answer elements provided today by Mr. Powell to this council" as well as questions chief inspector Hans Blix raised in his report to the council January 27. "All in all, I think we are now in a situation where it's in the hands of Iraq," Fischer said later to reporters. "They must comply. They must disarm. Blix and (Mohamed) ElBaradei must have a successful visit in Iraq." At the White House, senior administration officials said they are less interested in the immediate reaction of France and other nations than they are in seeing whether those governments change their tone over the next several days. Officials noted the remarks delivered after Powell spoke were all prepared before the secretary's presentation. British Foreign Minister Jack Straw was the first voice unequivocally backing Powell's assertion that Iraq is flagrantly flouting the Security Council's resolution. "In respect to Iraq, Saddam is defying every one of us," Straw said. "He questions our resolve and is gambling we will lose nerve rather than enforce our will." Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, Solomon Passy, said Iraq should fall in line with the Security Council resolution by February 14 -- the next briefing of the council by its chief weapons inspectors -- or be forced to do so. Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio also said it was clear that Iraq is not cooperating with the inspectors or the United Nations. "There is only one explanation for that," she said, "and that is that Saddam Hussein has not renounced his intention to use (weapons of mass destruction)." Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Mikhail Wehbe, said after the meeting he was glad so many council members favored a peaceful approach. He also said Powell failed to show a true link between Iraq and "so-called terrorist organizations." Iraqi diplomat Aldouri denied that his country has any weapons of mass destruction and insisted that Iraq was cooperating with the inspectors. He said Powell's sound recordings were likely fabricated and added that if Iraq had connections with the terrorist network al Qaeda, it "would not be ashamed to admit it." Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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