MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 28th 2024 - 08:23 UTC

 

 

Two weeks of “full pressure”.

Sunday, February 23rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC
Full article

Chile's role as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council is becoming increasingly important as United States and Britain push for a second resolution on Iraq scheduled for March 7.

According to The New York Times, NYT, Washington and London are trying to persuade nine of the fifteen members of the Security Council to support a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq, and eventually challenge any veto from France, Russia or China.

The "six of the middle" as they are described, Chile, Angola, Guinea, Cameroon, Pakistan and Chile, are "feeling the pressure" and "even more pressure is expected in the coming days", writes NYT, with France and Germany doing something similar.

These six nations together with Bulgaria, Germany, Spain and Syria are the ten non permanent members of the Security Council. Nine votes are needed for a resolution and United States and Britain can only count with Spain and Bulgaria.

This last week British Primer Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac had long telephone conversations with President Ricardo Lagos regarding Iraq.

The official Chilean stance so far is to keep distance from both positions, the US favouring military action, and France insisting in granting the arms inspectors more time.

"Chile still believes there's space for diplomacy", said Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Soledad Alvear. Chile did not adhere to a French declaration, but underlined its positive spirit to avoid war, and has avoided lining up behind the US.

Mrs. Alvear said Chile still expects a consensus decision, fearing that the situation could end with the "sad show" of a definitive division in the UN's main body and the overall UN loss of credibility.

Categories: Mercosur.

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