Source: Department of Foreign Affairs
Title: A Pahad: Media briefing, Iraq
STATEMENT BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AZIZ PAHAD, DURING A MEDIA BRIEFING IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ, 27 February 2003
* A war against Iraq will have disastrous consequences - socio-economic and political - for the region and globally.
* In support of this view, we welcome the declarations of the African Union Extraordinary Summit in Addis Ababa at the beginning of February and the Africa-Franco and Non-Aligned Movement Summits in the last week that have unequivocally stated opposition to a war against Iraq.
* We also welcome and endorse the French-Russian-German-Chinese proposal, which notes progress in the work of the United Nations weapons inspectors and calls for an extension of their mandate.
* The purpose of the visit was to share with the Iraqi's, South Africa's approach to the destruction of its weapons of mass destruction capabilities.
* South Africa's approach was based on the government's commitment to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.
* Confidence in the destruction of South Africa's weapons of mass destruction capabilities was based on a political decision to be fully transparent, to fully co-operate and to build confidence.
* The discussions took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere.
* The Iraqi side informed us of their serious intent to cooperate with UNMOVIC and the IAEA and they informed us of the details surrounding the outstanding issues. Extensive documentation was also provided to ourselves - some for the first time.
* We have appreciated our interaction with a high level Iraqi team with whom full and transparent discussions were held. There was no issue that was not discussed - issues included key areas of nuclear, biological and chemical programmes.
* In this context the Iraqi Government has requested SA technical assistance to ascertain whether the methodologies to clarify the outstanding issues where no documentation is available are practical. These pertain to the disposal of VX, choline and anthrax.
* This request will be reported back to SA where a decision will be made.
* We have emphasised that it will be important to ensure that such an exercise is sanctioned by UNMOVIC and that UNMOVIC is involved in the process. We believe that UNMOVIC's involvement will be important for the credibility of such an exercise.
* The Iraqi's yesterday took the SA team to visit the disposal site at the Al-Muthana Establishment and the disposal site at Sammara.
* South Africa's approach to the whole issue surrounding Iraq and the threat of war is captured in the AU, Franco-African and NAM summit positions that have recently been made.
* Nationally South Africa believes that we should do everything to avoid war and that the IAEA and UNMOVIC should be allowed to complete their work. We also believe that Iraq should comply with its obligations under Security Council Resolution 1441.
* We believe that once the issue of weapons of mass destruction has been resolved, the international community should devote itself to having sanctions against Iraq lifted since these are having a disastrous effect on the people of Iraq.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
27 February 2002
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