Chance for Peace

On 23 February 1998 the international public opinion heard with relief that the peace mission to Baghdad of Mr. Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, was met with success. A “memorandum of understanding” was signed by Mr. Annan and the Deputy President of Iraq Mr. T. Aziz providing for the unhindered work of the UNSCOM team. As a result the armed intervention by the US was cancelled.

This diplomatic success was made possible due to a broad mobilisation for peace with the active participation of the European and International Left.

In the European Parliament the GUE/NGL group and the Green Group cooperated on this very important issue to jointly submit a resolution.

Following is a joint communique, which was issued by the Presidents of the two groups: Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) and Claudia Roth (Greens)

“In view of the military escalation which is underway against Iraq and the risk of an armed intervention being decided unilaterally by the United States with the explicit support of some member states, the GUE/NGL Group and the Green Group in the EP submitted a joint resolution in which they invite the Member States of the EU not to take part, either directly or indirectly, in any military action undertaken by the United States against Iraq, and not to permit the use of their bases to this end.

The GUE and Green Groups stress the absence of any political initiative from the EU and criticise the attitude of the British Presidency which seems to want to take routes other than diplomatic and peaceful ones. The GUE and Green Groups ask the Member States to make all the diplomatic and political efforts within their power to find a negotiated and peaceful solution within the framework of the United Nations and under the control of the Security Council in order to avoid any military action.

In addition the GUE and Green Groups firmly support the application of Resolution 687 of the UN Security Council on the elimination of the weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East region and consider that there should be no slackening of pressure on the Iraqi government in order to ensure the United Nations’inspectors can work without constraint. Lastly, they express their solidarity with the democratic forces in Iraq which fight for the defence of Human Rights and against the dictatorial regime of Sadam Hussein.

The two groups call on the Conference of Presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament to send a peace mission to Iraq, the United States and the United Nations with a view to arriving at a peaceful solution to this conflict.