LOC09:01
06:01 GMT
By Saloua Jandoubi
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin late
Thursday said Iraq cannot at the same time request to remain under Chapter 7
of the UN Charter in the case of the renewal of the mandate of the Development
Fund for Iraq, and out of it when it comes to other resolutions, predicting
that Iraq will remain under Chapter 7 "for a while."
Churkin was referring to Iraq's request from the Security Council earlier
this month to extend the mandate of the Development Fund for Iraq for one more
year, with a six-month review, while remaining under Chapter 7, but to get out
of it regarding other resolutions related to the practices of the former Iraqi
regime.
Churkin told a press conference in answer to a question by KUNA, "I think
given the requirements of the Iraqis to be protected by Chapter 7 in this
fund, you cannot get out of Chapter 7 if you want to have that protection
under Chapter 7."
"Frankly," he added, "the situation in Iraq is such that the presence of
the Security Council in this form (Chapter 7) or another needs to continue to
be there for a while."
Chapter 7 allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to
the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and
nonmilitary action to "restore international peace and security."
The mandate of the Development Fund for Iraq expires later this month and
Iraq, according to a letter by its Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to the
Security Council earlier this month, wants the international community to
"continue the protection and arrangements" for the oil proceeds under Chapter
7 "until the government is able to take the necessary measures to settle debts
and claims inherited from the former regime."
Al-Maliki, however, wants the council to recognize that the situation in
Iraq is significantly different from the one under the Saddam regime and
therefore wants to get out of Chapter 7 and "resume its legal and
international status" that it enjoyed before the invasion of Kuwait in August
1990.
A council diplomat told KUNA that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari,
who is currently in New York, is consulting with council members regarding a
draft resolution, also under Chapter 7, that would keep the fund under Chapter
7 and would state in a separate paragraph that Iraq is no longer a threat to
international peace and security.
Zebari, the diplomat added, also wants the council to create a committee to
review all other relevant resolutions beginning with sanctions resolution 661
of August 1990, which the council adopted four days after Saddam's forces
invaded Kuwait.
The diplomat also quoted Zebari as saying that Iraq will continue to comply
with the council resolutions pertaining to the Kuwait-Iraq situation from the
demarcation of the border to the repatriation of the Kuwaiti remains to the
return of stolen property, and would hold bilateral talks with Kuwait and any
other claimants in order to solve all other pending issues.
The vote on the draft is scheduled for early next week. (end)
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KUNA 190901 Dec 08NNNN