United Nations weapons inspectors are set to return to Iraq on November 18th following the unanimous backing by the UN Security Council yesterday for a US resolution imposing a tough new weapons inspection regime.
The return of the inspectors for the first time in four years depends on whether Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein declares within seven days that he will accept the new conditions for inspections, which include immediate and unconditional access to all possible nuclear, chemical and biological weapons sites and personnel.
Resolution No 1441 was passed by 15-0 after last minute concessions by the US to France and Russia. The final country to sign on was Syria, which said it had received assurances from both France and Russia that the resolution would not be used as a pretext for attacking Iraq.
Iraq's ambassador to the UN, Mr Mohamed Aldouri, said he did not know his government's response, but accused the US of imposing its will on the rest of the world. He said he was "pessimistic" the inspectors would ever be allowed to do their work.
If Iraq gives the go-ahead, Chief UN weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix said his advance team will be in Baghdad on Monday, November 18th to prepare for a resumption of full inspections by December 22nd, and some surprise checks could be done immediately. US President George Bush said afterwards at the White House: "Disarmament of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq will occur. The only question for the Iraqi regime is to decide how."
British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair warned Saddam Hussein that he must make his choice. "My message to him is this. Disarm or you face force."
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said Ireland supported the resolution because it offered a way to obtain Iraq's compliance with disarmament obligations, to avoid a military conflict, and "to preserve the primary responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security."
The surprise 15-0 vote was seen as a triumph for US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who over eight weeks negotiated a text acceptable to the council while retaining freedom for America to attack Iraq without a new resolution.
The complex resolution requires the US, which has been conducting a military build-up in the Middle East, to return to the Security Council to discuss any Iraqi non-compliance, rather than attack unilaterally. The US ambassador to the UN, Mr John Negroponte, said the resolution had no "hidden triggers", but if the council failed to act decisively, it did not "constrain" any member-state from taking action.
The resolution states that "false statements or omissions" and other non co-operation by Iraq would constitute a "further material breach" of Baghdad's obligations, code to allow a military attack.