YouSaid · the spoken record

Mohammed Said Al-Sahaf

lines on the record: 134
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2000-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Those panels began their work unilaterally, without any advanced consultation with the Government of Iraq and without listening to its point of view. This process resulted in reports reflecting the political balance within the Security Council, which distanced it from the real substance of the situation. At that point the process reached the stage of the presentation of draft resolutions ignoring the rights and obligations provided for in the resolutions of the Council itself. In fact, those draft resolutions added new obligations for Iraq, not contained in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council that Iraq had already implemented.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In spite of this gross violation of the Charter and mechanisms of the Organization, the Security Council, the main organ concerned with the situation, remained completely crippled and did not take any immediate collective action. The international condemnation of the American/British aggression against Iraq last December did not come from the Security Council. Rather, it came from Governments and peoples of Member States on a larger scale after a noticeable lull. As the Assembly will recall, the Security Council was preoccupied with a bare-faced process for gaining time through mandating panels to assess the special situation concerning Iraq's implementation of its obligations under the resolutions of the Security Council.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“While the Security Council was convened to discuss the Secretary-General's report on Iraq's cooperation in the field of disarmament, the United States and British forces stationed in the Gulf region launched a large-scale military aggression against Iraq, from 16 December through 20 December 1998, using the lies and 28 fabrications of Richard Butler as a pretext for their aggression. That aggression claimed the lives of a large number of innocent civilians, in addition to destroying many infrastructure sites, as well as much industrial equipment which had already been subject to a strict monitoring system established by the former Special Commission, which did not detect any violation of Security Council resolutions at those sites.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We call for joint efforts to confront it. I wish here to refer to a live example of the logic of power experienced in Iraq in 1998, at around this time of year, when the Security Council was discussing the arrangements for conducting a comprehensive review of the implementation by Iraq of its obligations under Security Council resolutions, especially those relating to disarmament, with a view to considering the lifting of the comprehensive sanctions imposed on Iraq since August 1990.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is not justifiable to consider the role of the United Nations as marginalized after it has become captive to the views of the controlling Powers in international relations and their selfish interests. Regardless of what the Charter provides in terms of rights, duties and procedures, we are convinced that the doctrine of presumed humanitarian intervention represents a dangerous destructive tool that affects the gains that have accrued through joint efforts in favour of the general international interest, as evidenced by the records of this Organization. The universalization of the concepts of this doctrine would mean the complete denial of the will of the vast majority of States, with the result of destroying the present international order. Iraq joins all delegations which have declared a position contrary to this Western doctrine.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Rather, it rests with the selfish and unilateral policies of the controlling Powers, whose interests cannot be served by using the United Nations mechanisms established for the correct application of the principles and rules of the Charter, which reflect the joint will and collective interests of the members of the international community. The logic of this Western doctrine is not unknown to Iraq. At an early date, President Saddam Hussein drew attention to the dangers of the policy of might and opportunism in international relations that is carried out at the expense of the balance between rights and obligations and joint responsibility, as reflected in the Charter and in international law.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“First of all, we should realize that no situation used as a justification for this doctrine is free from the external political interventions that led in the first place to the emergence of such a situation. Accordingly, it could not be claimed that international responsibility for the situation rests exclusively with the targeted Government. On the other hand, we should also realize that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the mechanisms of the Organization are not devoid of modalities to deal with any situation of the type advanced to justify this doctrine. The problem does not lie with the principles, rules and procedures.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The most dangerous phenomenon witnessed during the present decade, which in the course of this session has become an endeavour orchestrated by a group of Western States, is the advocacy of so-called humanitarian intervention. This doctrine, which has no place in international law, stems from an organized infringement of the most fundamental rules of the present international order, such as sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs. These principles cannot provide a protective shield for grave violations of human rights or for intervention, sometimes with the use of force, in order to protect those rights. No one should be deceived by this doctrine as the new framework for a modern forum of neo-colonialism based on the logic of power.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It can also be seen in the marginalization of many social segments of society, especially youth, because of lack of jobs; the same goes for the increase in crime and the prevalence of drugs, as well as other serious social problems which can hardly be controlled. It is no secret that one of the main reasons for the aggravation of this situation is the arbitrary imposition of comprehensive sanctions and embargoes on many States in the world for political purposes, without any sound foundation in international law. It is obvious that this policy has resulted in tragic effects on the economic and social structures of the targeted States and on third countries. It constitutes a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the principles of justice.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“This 27 will lead to economic subordination, inevitably followed by political subordination. In this context, there has emerged a new phenomenon of imposing various kinds of embargoes and economic sanctions, withholding development and depriving States of the exercise of their economic rights as enshrined in international law and covenants. The catastrophic effects of this imbalance are reflected in the social conditions of many regions in the world. These effects are demonstrated by an increase in the intensity of poverty, the spread of illiteracy, deterioration of the health situation and degradation of living standards.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Because of this situation, the world has witnessed a series of deep and rapid-moving changes that have led to the emergence of many areas of political and military conflicts with dangerous consequences reflected in the human, economic and social conditions of many regions in the world. These conflicts have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and have caused the huge squandering of material and human resources. The world will enter the new century in this fashion. The picture before us demonstrates the tyranny of force, the imposition of hegemony and the aggravating economic problems by which the States of the South are increasingly marginalized to the extent that their entities and elements of survival are about to be eliminated.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. I am fully confident that your experience and competence will contribute to the success of this session. With the end of the cold war, there was a feeling that the world would see balanced international relations, characterized by peace, stability and well-being. But the state of affairs has proved otherwise; the international imbalance continues and is being used to place the logic of hegemony above all else in order to perpetuate it in the world and its international organizations, particularly the United Nations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“While we support carrying out such a comprehensive review in an objective, fair and impartial manner, we affirm Iraq’s right to expect the Security Council to proceed to take action to lift the inhumane sanctions that have been imposed on the people of Iraq for eight years now. The people and leadership of Iraq will accept no less.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Iraq has also expressed its hope that such a comprehensive review of what it has accomplished in terms of disarmament under part C of resolution 687 (1991) will be made as soon as possible and without further delay. It is our hope that it will be indeed comprehensive, fair and honest and that Iraq will be given every possible opportunity to submit its point of view on all relevant questions that might be posed by the Special Commission, the IAEA or members of the Security Council. Iraq also hopes that the review will be conducted under the personal supervision of the Secretary-General and that Mr. Annan will see to it that such a comprehensive review is bound by a clearly defined 15 timetable and not allow it to be an aimless process without foreseeable end.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Council is also required to undertake a review every 60 days aimed at either reducing or lifting the embargo in the light of the implementation by Iraq of all its obligations under the relevant Council resolutions. However, the 40 reviews carried out so far have been a mere formality, arbitrary and far from comprehensive. Thus, embarking upon a real comprehensive review in accordance with the Secretary-General’s proposal is not a reward given to Iraq, but a duty that the Security Council has to undertake under its own resolutions. Iraq has expressed its willingness to participate effectively in such a comprehensive review — it is one of its inalienable rights.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In order to seek a way out of this deadlock and break out of the vicious circle created by the Special Commission and its Chairman, Iraq has welcomed the proposal for a comprehensive review submitted by the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, to the Security Council last 6 August. Iraq has emphasized that such a comprehensive review is a legal and moral obligation which the Council is duty-bound to discharge. By the terms of resolution 687 (1991), the Council is required to implement paragraph 22, relating to lifting the prohibitions against the import of basic commodities and products originating in Iraq, based upon the completion by Iraq of all actions contemplated in part C of the resolution.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Finally, the Special Commission and its Chairman refrain, also for political reasons, from reporting to the Council that since the establishment of the monitoring system in 1994 the Commission has not noted any violation on the part of Iraq with regard to resuming the production of the prohibited weapons. This prejudiced position on the part of the Special Commission and its Chairman has brought action to a dead end and into an unacceptable vicious circle. Iraq was therefore obliged to suspend cooperation with the Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency because insisting on dead-end paths and vicious circles can only lead to the continuation of the blockade on the people of Iraq, which is unacceptable and even contrary to resolution 687 (1991).”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“For political reasons, the Special Commission and its Chairman refrain from reporting to the Council that Iraq is totally free of all weapons prohibited under resolution 687 (1991) in the three areas of missiles and chemical and biological weapons, even though the Special Commission has no concrete evidence to prove the opposite. The Special Commission and its Chairman both refrain from reporting to the Council that all the plants, equipment and installations which the Commission itself determined had anything to do with those weapons have been destroyed and that the remaining plants, equipment and installations capable of so-called dual-use are totally under a comprehensive and strict monitoring system. Accordingly, Iraq is incapable of resuming the production of such weapons.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Special Commission entrusted with pursuing the implementation of Iraq’s obligations under the provisions of resolution 687 (1991), which concerns disarmament and directs the monitoring system established since 1994, refrains — I repeat, refrains — from reporting the facts about Iraq’s compliance with its obligations under Security Council resolutions. The reason for its failure to do so is political. The Special Commission and its Chairman operate under the influence of an arrogant, powerful State that is pursuing ulterior political aims against Iraq that have no relevance whatsoever to Security Council resolutions on Iraq.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Questions which must be legitimately addressed to the Security Council are: why should Iraq bear all these burdens and losses while the blockade continues and no one knows when it is going to be lifted? Why has the Security Council been unable so far to discharge its obligations towards Iraq? Iraq has cooperated throughout the past seven and one half years with the Security Council, the Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency and has met all the requirements of the Security Council’s resolutions in the hope that its cooperation would lead to lifting the blockade imposed on the people of Iraq. However, the blockade has not yet been lifted, thus rendering the continuation of cooperation both meaningless and useless.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“All prohibited weapons have been destroyed over the past seven and one-half years, together with hundreds of plants, installations and equipment related to those weapons. The operations were carried out with so much vengefulness that they even included cooling and lighting equipment, as well furnishings and other items that had nothing to do with the prohibited weapons or with their production. Since 1994, the Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency have established a comprehensive system of strict monitoring. However, although Iraq has fully implemented all the requirements of resolution 687 (1991) concerning 14 disarmament, the Security Council has not taken any action to implement its own obligations towards Iraq, as prescribed by paragraph 22 of that same resolution.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In return for the achievement of the above, with regard to the elimination of the prohibited weapons, paragraph 22 of resolution 687 (1991) provides that the prohibition against the import of basic commodities and products originating in Iraq and the prohibition against financial transactions related thereto contained in Council resolution 661 (1990) shall cease to remain in effect. Throughout the past seven and one-half years, Iraq has fully cooperated with the Security Council, the Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iraq has met all the conditions and obligations imposed on it as an expression of its good will and in order to have the blockade imposed on its people lifted.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Briefly, they require the destruction, removal or rendering harmless, under the supervision of the United Nations Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency, of all weapons of mass destruction which were in Iraq’s possession. They enjoin Iraq to refrain from the production, possession, stockpiling, use or development of such weapons in the areas prohibited by resolution 687 (1991), which are the ballistic missiles with a range greater than 150 kilometres and chemical and biological weapons, together with the nuclear programme. These obligations imposed on Iraq also provide for the establishment of a system of ongoing monitoring, verification and registration of compliance.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This blockade has caused and continues to cause the death of thousands of Iraqi citizens every month due to the lack of medicine and food and a grave deterioration in the infrastructures of the industrial, agricultural, health, education, service sectors and other areas. This situation calls for the strong condemnation of those who insist, for ulterior political motives, on continuing to inflict on the Iraqi people this destructive blockade, the tragic consequences of which are tantamount to internationally proscribed acts of genocide. Security Council resolution 687 (1991) contains two sets of obligations: those which must be fulfilled by Iraq, and those that require the Security Council to lift the blockade on Iraq when Iraq has met its obligations. The obligations imposed on Iraq concern disarmament.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This situation, resulting from the Zionist entity’s failure to comply with these resolutions, threatens security and peace in the region and in the entire world, and encourages an arms race in the region. Iraq strongly affirms its support for the struggle of the Palestinian people against Zionist settler colonialism in Palestine. It supports the struggle of the Palestine Liberation Organization for the realization of its legitimate objectives, endorsed by the international community, which affirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinians in Palestine, including its capital, Al-Quds al-Sharif. The comprehensive, inhumane blockade imposed on Iraq has entered its ninth year.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Zionist entity possesses a huge arsenal of weapons of mass destruction of all types — nuclear in particular, chemical, biological or long-range missiles — in disregard of the General Assembly’s efforts to render the Middle East a zone free of weapons from mass destruction; of Security Council resolution 487 (1981), which demands that the Zionist entity place its installations under the comprehensive safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and of paragraph 14 of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), which states that the actions to be taken towards Iraq represent steps towards the goal of establishing in the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“There are States which maintain huge arsenals of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical, biological or long-range missiles, while other States are being disarmed or called upon to disarm themselves under all sorts of pretexts. The proper approach in this regard is in the comprehensive implementation of the relevant international treaties and comprehensive agreements, free of selectivity and discrimination. Then, and only then, can the goal of general and complete disarmament be put to the service of the cause of peace and security in the world and of ensuring the legitimate rights of States to defend their security and independence in a just and equitable manner. The Middle East region is witnessing today a grave situation and serious impairment of the balance of powers.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The success of these efforts depends largely on the serious political will of Member States of our Organization. The reform of the work of the Security Council is urgently needed, if we are to end control over it by a few States and transform it into an institution which truly represents international realities. Without these reforms, it is impossible to achieve the purposes and the principles of the Charter with regard to the maintenance of peace and security, promoting economic and social development and strengthening cooperation among people. 13 International peace and security are affected by the irrational and biased character of the way issues of disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, are addressed.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As a result, the United Nations faces a serious challenge represented by the degree of its ability to regain the balance required of it in order to accomplish its objectives as set forth in the Charter. In this context, the United Nations witnesses attempts to reform its structures and work mechanism to make it compatible with the current political and economic realities. Most important is the effort to reform the working methods of the General Assembly and the Security Council in order to bring the work of these two organs into full harmony with the evolution of international relations and with the increased membership of the international Organization. This evolution requires equitable representation of States from the various continents on the Security Council, whether through permanent or non-permanent membership.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate Mr. Opertti on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. I am fully confident that his experience and skill will ensure the success of the work of this session. The world continues to labour under events that attest to the inability of the international community to avert the effects of international transformations which carry within them the elements of tension and conflict, given the imbalance at the international level caused by a unipolar system wherein a sole dominant player in the international arena seeks to impose its hegemony on the international community. That sole player is not concerned except with its selfish and narrow interests, and with imposing its dominance over international institutions and organizations.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As we stand at the threshold of the twenty-first century, we look forward to seeing the United Nations enabled to discharge its basic responsibilities to carry out the purposes embodied in the Charter.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The continuation of this illegal air embargo constitutes an ongoing threat to Iraq’s sovereignty and security, not only from America and Britain, but also from Iran and other States. This situation, in which acts of aggression are repeatedly committed, means that the explicit United Nations pledges in relevant Security Council resolutions to safeguard Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have become a mere dead letter. It is time that these 9 pledges be honoured. If it does otherwise, the United Nations will have violated its own pledges. Iraq is an ancient country with a history going back more than 7,000 years. The Iraqi people, who contributed immensely to human civilization, will remain in charge of their own affairs, independent in their choices and able to overcome these crises.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is unfortunate that our neighbour, Iran, does not match our inclination and prefers to continue to exploit the conditions of the unjust blockade imposed against Iraq and to exploit the imposition of no-fly zones by the United States and Britain in northern and southern Iraq to enable it to violate Iraqi sovereignty, penetrate its airspace and commit one military aggression after another. The most recent of such acts was the bombing by eight Iranian military aircraft of positions inside Iraqi territory, in the governorates of Diala and El-Kut on 29 September 1997. Iran and another State are taking advantage of the illegal air embargo, imposed on northern and southern Iraq by the United States and its collaborators, to violate Iraq’s sovereignty, penetrate its airspace and commit continuous military aggression on its territory.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“He also affirmed that Iraq would reciprocate each step taken by Iran in this regard by taking two balanced steps: one corresponding to the Iranian step and another in line with our deep sense of humanitarian, regional and international responsibility to encourage the taking of successive, continual steps to ensure that regional security, mutual respect and balanced interests rest firmly on their proper foundation in such a way that benefits the peoples of the region.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are also keen on establishing good-neighbourly relations with Iran, based on mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs. On 8 August 1997 President Saddam Hussain issued a call to the new Iranian Government to show its good intentions towards Iraq by carrying out its established obligations, foremost of which is the release of Iraqi prisoners of war and the return of the aircraft entrusted to it.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Many countries in and outside the region, and international organizations, foremost among them the League of Arab States, have condemned the new Turkish aggression against Iraq, which began on 22 September 1997. We strongly condemn this new military aggression, which is a flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We demand that Turkey immediately withdraw its invading forces from our country and refrain from repeating such aggressive military practices, which contradict good-neighbourly relations, the Charter and international law. We hold Turkey fully responsible internationally for its acts of aggression inside Iraq. We reserve our full right to respond to these acts and to assert our other legitimate rights under international law that arise as a result of Turkey’s responsibility for those acts.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“During those discussions we explained that the solution to the Kurdish problem inside Turkey could not be achieved by committing armed aggression against Iraq, or by interfering in its internal affairs, in collaboration with foreign Powers — the United States and Britain — but rather by fully observing the principle of mutual respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the two countries and by cooperation between their Governments to ensure security and stability on both sides of the international border. We have warned Turkey of the serious and negative consequences of its policies for relations between the two countries and for Turkey’s own interests.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We note that, unfortunately, our neighbour, Turkey, is indulging in dangerous policies that run counter to the deep historical, religious and human relations between Iraq and Turkey. Turkey has repeatedly continued to violate our sovereignty, interfere in our internal affairs and invade our territory, on the basis of flimsy pretexts. We have discussed the situation with our neighbour, Turkey, on several occasions in the past. The most recent discussion was with the Under-Secretary of the Turkish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which took place on 15 September 1997 in Baghdad.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We believe that there is a collective duty to take joint action to evaluate in an equitable manner Iraq’s fulfilment of its obligations. This responsibility rests first and foremost with the members of the Security Council because collectively they bear responsibility for any imbalance caused by the unilateral positions taken by the United States and Britain. We are eager to establish excellent relations with neighbouring countries. We have affirmed on more than one occasion the importance of dialogue in order to arrive at the best solutions to problems affecting relations between the countries of the region. Unfortunately, we have not received the required response from certain parties, largely because of interference by external Powers that have nothing to do with the reality of the interests of the States of the region.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I hope that Members of the United Nations are not ignorant of the fact that among the means of achieving the declared objectives of this hostile policy towards Iraq is the imposition of no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. This is an illegal act that is contrary to Security Council resolutions. It is a unilateral military act by the Governments of the United States and Britain — a clear application of brute power politics against our country. We demand that the United Nations deplore and condemn unilateral policies based on the logic of brute force, opportunism, double standards and hegemony. 8 We are demanding no more than the legal and proper application of Security Council resolutions in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This involvement is an official policy, approved by the American President, and more that $100 million has been appropriated for it. The Central Intelligence Agency has been charged with its implementation. Following that publicity, the policy was acknowledged by an official spokesman of the American State Department in a press briefing on 27 June. The United Nations resolutions on Iraq affirm that all States have an obligation to respect Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. The United States is carrying out a policy of its own making, which runs counter to the provisions of the Charter and of the resolutions referred to.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The United Nations must put an end to all hostile practices against Iraq by the United States, which persists in its continuous attempts to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs with a view to causing instability and insecurity and in carrying out operations to change its nationalist regime; such practices are considered criminal acts even under its own domestic law. Statements made by senior American officials confirm the hostile American policy towards Iraq. Members of the United Nations are not unaware of the article published in the Washington Post on 26 June 1997 or of the information contained in the ABC television programme aired on 26 June 1997. This information confirmed that the United States was involved in conspiracies against the nationalist regime in Iraq.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“They have also stressed that such sanctions should not be based merely on political expediency, but rather should be firmly based on international law; that they should be implemented according to the principles of justice and international law; that they should not serve individual or factional interests; that in their implementation, consideration should be given to the human suffering that they cause; and that a time limit should be set for their lifting. Such a serious measure should not be imposed without setting a precise time for its lifting. United Nations responsibility does not end there.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“All the discussions that have taken place in the United Nations, in specialized working groups and committees, and in particular in the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, have stressed that sanctions should be an exceptional measure used by the United Nations in special circumstances and in accordance with the Charter.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“To date, despite the fact that the implementation of the first period ended over three months ago, Iraq has received only 25 per cent of the medicine required and has not received any materials at all up to now relating to agriculture, education, water or sewage, or any spare parts for electricity-generating power stations. Now more than ever is the time for the United Nations to discharge its responsibility with regard to its obligations under the Charter, not only to the people of Iraq, but to the international community. The United Nations has a duty to carry out a professional and objective review of the provisions of the blockade imposed on Iraq in order to implement paragraph 22 of Security Council resolution 687 (1991) as a first step towards lifting the blockade completely.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Nevertheless, this formula has encountered and continues to encounter many major obstacles and difficulties, which the United States and Britain in particular try to impose with a view to impeding the proper and effective implementation of the memorandum of understanding. The conduct of the representatives of these two countries in the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 661 (1990) has led to an accumulation of contracts which were rejected or suspended on flimsy pretexts. This has caused a huge break in the smooth flow of the approval of such contracts and has thereby delayed the delivery and distribution of materials to the Iraqi people.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“They 7 said that they had come up with Security Council resolution 986 (1995) to alleviate this suffering. that resolution was not balanced. We and the United Nations Secretary-General, in May 1996, were able to reach a memorandum of understanding to implement the resolution in a balanced manner. When implementation started — that is to say, when the implementation of the memorandum started — in December 1996, the American and the British conduct was seen for what it really is. The oil-for-food-and-medicine formula is a temporary and modest formula that meets only a small fraction of Iraq’s needs.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Scientific studies and research carried out by foreign researchers and scientists have unequivocally confirmed that the United States used banned weapons and ammunition enriched with depleted uranium in its military operations against Iraq. This exposed vast tracts of Iraqi territory to contamination by deadly toxic materials. Numerous cases of hitherto unfamiliar illnesses have been recorded, such as congenital deformities of foetuses, bone deformities and many cases of leukaemia among children. We heard many allegations from the representatives of the United States and Britain before Iraq agreed to deal with the oil-for-food formula. The representatives of both countries shed crocodile tears and alleged that they were concerned about the suffering of the Iraqi people.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for instance, has confirmed in its latest study in March 1997 that 27.5 per cent of Iraqi children under five years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition and that the most threatened segment is children under two years old, due to malnutrition and the incidence of contagious diseases. Furthermore, the environment in Iraq has suffered extensive damage because of indiscriminate bombing by the United States and some of its allies, which was aimed at power stations, sewage systems and factories, which we have not been able to rebuild fully because of the blockade.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is rather a systematic plan to inflict severe damage on Iraq by putting an end to its development potential and by destroying its basic economic infrastructure to fulfil the selfish interests of an unjust super-Power. The whole world has felt the magnitude of the wilful damage and destruction inflicted on Iraq by the continuation of the blockade, which is contrary to the purposes for which the United Nations was established, which purposes have been emphasized in its numerous conferences. International organizations, humanitarian missions and United Nations agencies have warned of the dangers besetting the people of Iraq as a result of the continued blockade, particularly the dangerous effects on women and children.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)