Iraq parliament rejects resolution
Tuesday, November 12, 2002 Posted: 9:44 AM EST (1444 GMT)
WHAT'S NEXT?
Iraq has until Friday to accept the resolution's terms
Within 30 days, Iraq must send the U.N. a list of its weapons
Within 45 days, Iraq must allow inspections to begin
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's parliament has voted to reject the U.N. resolution threatening possible military action if Baghdad does not disarm, ignoring pleas from Saddam Hussein's son to accept the text.
Parliament's unanimous vote is a recommendation and leaves the final decision on whether to accept the U.N. edict -- approved unanimously by the U.N. Security Council last week -- to the Revolutionary Command Council, Iraq's highest authority which is led by Saddam.
The 250-member parliament accepted in a vote on Tuesday a recommendation from its foreign relations committee to reject the resolution.
But it also urged the "political leadership" to "adopt what it considers appropriate to defend the Iraqi people and Iraq's independence and dignity and authorizes President Saddam Hussein to adopt what he sees as appropriate expressing our full support for his wise leadership."
The U.S. White House shrugged off the rejection of inspections and disarmament, with a senior official telling CNN: "We view this as pure theatre... There's one voice that matters in this regime and that is Saddam Hussein's."
Iraqi parliament speaker Saadoun Hammadi earlier asked deputies to vote three times by a show of hands, once on each clause of the resolution and once on the entire proposal.
After each vote, Saadoun announced unanimous approval. It was not clear how many MPs were present for the vote, The Associated Press said.
Earlier Saddam's son Uday sent a working paper to parliament urging: "We should, as a National Assembly, accept the U.N. resolution which is under debate in these sessions."
CNN's Jane Arraf in Baghdad said it was unlikely parliamentarians would face any repercussions for going against Uday's wishes, calling the vote part of a "really interesting drama." Arraf said it was expected that Saddam would accept the resolution, but said the vote was a signal that "they're not going to do it without a fuss."
Con Coughlin, author of "Saddam: King of Terror," called the vote a "political maneuver by Saddam," possibly an effort to prompt last minute diplomatic intervention from Russia or France. But Coughlin said he "personally will be very surprised" if Saddam does not accept the resolution on Friday.
Uday, himself a parliamentarian, argued acceptance of the U.N. text should take place "under the umbrella of the Arab League," which backed the resolution during a meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday.
"The parliament should accept the resolution in accordance with certain procedures and without restrictions because the initiative is not in our hands," Uday said.
Uday echoed Arab League calls for Arab weapons experts to be involved in U.N. inspections, but criticised Syria for supporting the resolution. Syria is the only Arab nation on the U.N. Security Council, which voted 15-0 to pass the resolution.
Uday urged parliament in his statement to deny the United States a chance to wage war on Iraq.
"We should not wait until the arrows are fired at us to confront them with our shields. As we know the Americans are cowards, deceitful and wicked and we should deny the wicked and the mean this opportunity," he said.
Saddam has until Friday to accept the U.N. resolution
Uday urged Arab countries to cut oil supplies to any countries involved in a war on Iraq, including those that offer logistical support or let U.S. and British warplanes to use their bases for an attack.
He also said Arab countries should not let warships or military shipments pass through their territory.
Earlier, Saadoun outlined a motion before the assembly to reject the U.N. text.
CNN's Rym Brahimi in Baghdad said: "The parliament went through all the reasons why it was unacceptable to accept the resolution on the grounds of protecting Iraq's sovereignty.
"But the leadership has indicated it is prepared to respect it -- even if it does so under protest."
Iraq has until Friday to accept the terms of the U.S.-promoted Security Council resolution demanding Baghdad allow U.N. arms inspectors unhindered access to any site suspected of producing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons -- or face "serious consequences."
Washington has been adding to the pressure on Iraq with senior Bush administration officials warning the U.S. would be ready to take unilateral military action should Iraq violate the resolution. (Full story)
The Iraqi National Assembly reconvened after deputies met for three hours on Monday and heard Saadoun denounce the measure as a "preamble for war."
CNN's Jane Arraf says there was heavy criticism of the U.N. resolution from the lawmakers at Monday's session.
They said the inspections order was unworkable, it imposed "impossible demands" on Iraq, and that it was mostly a plan to launch a U.S. strike on Iraq. |
