Monday, May 12, 2003
Here is what is being said about Iraq sanctions. Here is my best guess at the interpretation of what the world's politicians are really saying.
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US plans for the immediate future of post-war Iraq which offer the UN only a limited role have been officially presented to the Security Council.
"Diplomats from the US and UK - who initiated the military campaign to oust Saddam Hussein as Iraqi leader - spoke of a "constructive reaction" to the proposals at a closed session in New York."
Interpretation: The United States is threatening France, Germany and Russia, and will get even with them if they do not cooperate this time.
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"But early responses from other Security Council members were cautious
Interpretation: "We don't see anything in your proposal that will benefit us so, Stick it Georgie Boy!"
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The kind of words we heard were that our resolution was forward-looking
US ambassador the UN, John Negroponte
Explanation: "Europe said to stick it, but they didn't say No"
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The German ambassador expressed hope that the Security Council would avoid fighting the "battles of the past" and find a unity of purpose again.
Explanation: The Germans are saying "We want a part of the action"
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The Security Council had been deeply split over the war against Iraq, but members have vowed to work constructively on the post-war resolution.
Interpretation: France and Russia want the money they are owed, and they want a piece of the pie in Iraq as well.
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However, our correspondent says negotiations promise to be long and difficult, with France and Russia likely to dissent.
Interpretation: It is going to be a pissing contest for a while.
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According to diplomats, the 15 Council ambassadors are spending the weekend outside the city with Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Interpretation: "Come on boy's, what does everyone want, from the Iraq reconstruction?"
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Legal experts are expected to meet on Monday, followed by fresh council consultations on Thursday.
Interpretation: The United States is looking for loopholes on how to work around the U.N. security council. France, Russia and Germany are looking into how to stick the United States, into a corner, and force the U.S. to give in.
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The Americans - cosponsoring the new motion along with the UK and Spain - are seeking a quick decision from Security Council members, but anticipate at least two weeks of negotiating before a vote.
Interpretation: The United States is not going to wait long, for UN approval. In 2 weeks the U.S. will work without the UN. The U.S. thinks it will take 2 weeks to get Iraq's oil fields up to where the U.S. can export oil to "favored nations", and tell the world it is a "humanitarian effort". Iraq NEEDS this money to keep, the Iraqis from starving, and to help with the CRITICAL health emergency which now exists.
Interpretation of the interpretation: Stick it France, Germany, and Russia, we are going to sell oil to our buddies and not to you!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the US proposals, a new body comprising the US and UK - known as the "authority" - would decide how income from the sale of Iraqi oil would be spent.
The UN, which currently controls Iraq's oil revenue, would be confined to an advisory and coordinating role.
Interpretation: The U.S is going to take over Iraq's Oil, and give it to Republican fund donators like Halliburtan, who is going to take their time rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure, and they will do it right in front of the UN, to rub it in their noses.
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Speaking after the introduction of the resolution, Gunter Pleuger of Germany - another vociferous opponent of the war - agreed that sanctions "aren't necessary any more", but said that lifting them raised many difficult questions.
He also said clarifications were needed over the role of the UN in the new Iraq - an issue that continues to divide the council after the military victory of US-led coalition forces.
Interpretation: Germany does not want to miss out of the billions of dollars to be made in Iraq, They want what Iraq owes them and they want oil from Iraq as well.
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Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the UK spoke of "a decidedly constructive atmosphere" at Friday's session.
" What we're trying to do in the Council and in the coalition on the ground is serve the needs of the Iraqi people and restore Iraq back to Iraqis for their own purposes and their own benefit as quickly as possible," he said.
Interpretation: If Germany international law experts can't find a way to force the U.S. to back down, they will give in to Bush.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The draft resolution does not mention the return of UN weapons teams, but does for the first time recognize the coalition as an "occupying power" under international law - a move which the UK ambassador said had "pleased" the council.
Interpretation: OK, we know and you know there are NO weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. It is water under the bridge. A lot of us in the security council, won't rub your nose in it, besides that, we know you don't give a damn, that there are no weapons of mass destruction, nobody cares anymore, we still don't want to be shut out!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a statement issued on Friday, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that France would take a "constructive" approach to the US resolution, but reiterated his support for a central role for the UN.
"After the emergency phase, establishing a stable, democratic Iraq that is recognized internationally is one of our key priorities," the statement said.
"The strong involvement of the international community, via a central role for the United Nations, is indispensable to ensuring its legitimacy."
Interpretation: The U.S knows Iraq will be unstable fro a very long time, so the U.S. is planning on settling in and manage Iraqi oil exports for a LONG time to come. It might be time for France to kiss and make up with Bush, if they want to get anything out of this deal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The resolution would allow some contracts concluded by the old Iraqi government under the oil-for-food program to be honored - a move designed to please the Russians, correspondents say.
Interpretation: If Russia buys in, they will get some of their debt payed back and some iraqi reconstruction business as a subcontractor to Haliburtan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An official appointed by the Americans to advise the Iraqi finance ministry, David Nummy, said the lifting of sanctions was crucial to reviving trade and restarting the economy.
"If the world cares about the basic lives of the ordinary Iraqi they will come to their aid by supporting the lifting of sanctions, allowing goods to flow into the country," he told reporters.
Interpretation: The U.S. will go around the UN council and say that they had to, in order to, stem the "medical and humanitarian crisis that is growing every day"
Interpretation of the Interpretation: "Get your act together Europe, we have the oil and you don't. We will do what we want with "OUR NEW FOUND OIL WELLS" and you can't stop us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary: Buy more SUV's it will help the economy and don't worry, we will have plenty of oil for it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US plans for the immediate future of post-war Iraq which offer the UN only a limited role have been officially presented to the Security Council.
"Diplomats from the US and UK - who initiated the military campaign to oust Saddam Hussein as Iraqi leader - spoke of a "constructive reaction" to the proposals at a closed session in New York."
Interpretation: The United States is threatening France, Germany and Russia, and will get even with them if they do not cooperate this time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"But early responses from other Security Council members were cautious
Interpretation: "We don't see anything in your proposal that will benefit us so, Stick it Georgie Boy!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The kind of words we heard were that our resolution was forward-looking
US ambassador the UN, John Negroponte
Explanation: "Europe said to stick it, but they didn't say No"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The German ambassador expressed hope that the Security Council would avoid fighting the "battles of the past" and find a unity of purpose again.
Explanation: The Germans are saying "We want a part of the action"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Security Council had been deeply split over the war against Iraq, but members have vowed to work constructively on the post-war resolution.
Interpretation: France and Russia want the money they are owed, and they want a piece of the pie in Iraq as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
However, our correspondent says negotiations promise to be long and difficult, with France and Russia likely to dissent.
Interpretation: It is going to be a pissing contest for a while.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to diplomats, the 15 Council ambassadors are spending the weekend outside the city with Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Interpretation: "Come on boy's, what does everyone want, from the Iraq reconstruction?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal experts are expected to meet on Monday, followed by fresh council consultations on Thursday.
Interpretation: The United States is looking for loopholes on how to work around the U.N. security council. France, Russia and Germany are looking into how to stick the United States, into a corner, and force the U.S. to give in.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Americans - cosponsoring the new motion along with the UK and Spain - are seeking a quick decision from Security Council members, but anticipate at least two weeks of negotiating before a vote.
Interpretation: The United States is not going to wait long, for UN approval. In 2 weeks the U.S. will work without the UN. The U.S. thinks it will take 2 weeks to get Iraq's oil fields up to where the U.S. can export oil to "favored nations", and tell the world it is a "humanitarian effort". Iraq NEEDS this money to keep, the Iraqis from starving, and to help with the CRITICAL health emergency which now exists.
Interpretation of the interpretation: Stick it France, Germany, and Russia, we are going to sell oil to our buddies and not to you!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the US proposals, a new body comprising the US and UK - known as the "authority" - would decide how income from the sale of Iraqi oil would be spent.
The UN, which currently controls Iraq's oil revenue, would be confined to an advisory and coordinating role.
Interpretation: The U.S is going to take over Iraq's Oil, and give it to Republican fund donators like Halliburtan, who is going to take their time rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure, and they will do it right in front of the UN, to rub it in their noses.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking after the introduction of the resolution, Gunter Pleuger of Germany - another vociferous opponent of the war - agreed that sanctions "aren't necessary any more", but said that lifting them raised many difficult questions.
He also said clarifications were needed over the role of the UN in the new Iraq - an issue that continues to divide the council after the military victory of US-led coalition forces.
Interpretation: Germany does not want to miss out of the billions of dollars to be made in Iraq, They want what Iraq owes them and they want oil from Iraq as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the UK spoke of "a decidedly constructive atmosphere" at Friday's session.
" What we're trying to do in the Council and in the coalition on the ground is serve the needs of the Iraqi people and restore Iraq back to Iraqis for their own purposes and their own benefit as quickly as possible," he said.
Interpretation: If Germany international law experts can't find a way to force the U.S. to back down, they will give in to Bush.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The draft resolution does not mention the return of UN weapons teams, but does for the first time recognize the coalition as an "occupying power" under international law - a move which the UK ambassador said had "pleased" the council.
Interpretation: OK, we know and you know there are NO weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. It is water under the bridge. A lot of us in the security council, won't rub your nose in it, besides that, we know you don't give a damn, that there are no weapons of mass destruction, nobody cares anymore, we still don't want to be shut out!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a statement issued on Friday, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that France would take a "constructive" approach to the US resolution, but reiterated his support for a central role for the UN.
"After the emergency phase, establishing a stable, democratic Iraq that is recognized internationally is one of our key priorities," the statement said.
"The strong involvement of the international community, via a central role for the United Nations, is indispensable to ensuring its legitimacy."
Interpretation: The U.S knows Iraq will be unstable fro a very long time, so the U.S. is planning on settling in and manage Iraqi oil exports for a LONG time to come. It might be time for France to kiss and make up with Bush, if they want to get anything out of this deal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The resolution would allow some contracts concluded by the old Iraqi government under the oil-for-food program to be honored - a move designed to please the Russians, correspondents say.
Interpretation: If Russia buys in, they will get some of their debt payed back and some iraqi reconstruction business as a subcontractor to Haliburtan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An official appointed by the Americans to advise the Iraqi finance ministry, David Nummy, said the lifting of sanctions was crucial to reviving trade and restarting the economy.
"If the world cares about the basic lives of the ordinary Iraqi they will come to their aid by supporting the lifting of sanctions, allowing goods to flow into the country," he told reporters.
Interpretation: The U.S. will go around the UN council and say that they had to, in order to, stem the "medical and humanitarian crisis that is growing every day"
Interpretation of the Interpretation: "Get your act together Europe, we have the oil and you don't. We will do what we want with "OUR NEW FOUND OIL WELLS" and you can't stop us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary: Buy more SUV's it will help the economy and don't worry, we will have plenty of oil for it.
# posted by Thomas @ 12:18 AM 
