Pretoria, 4 October 2002
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Aziz Pahad, met with the Ambassadors of China and the Russian Federation, and the Charge d'Affaires of France today, Friday, 4 October 2002 to discuss developments in the United Nations Security Council in New York regarding Iraq.
Deputy Minister Pahad provided the representatives of China, France and Russia with a copy of a letter that was sent to the President of the UN Security Council yesterday by the South African Permanent Representative in New York.
The letter, sent on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), sets out the Movement's perspective on the issue and states:
"On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), I have the honour to refer to the agreement reached in Vienna, Austria, on 1 October 2002 between the Government of Iraq, the United Nations Monitoring, Verificatio!VIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the practical arrangements necessary for the immediate resumption of inspections in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Security Council resolutions. The assurances given by the Government of Iraq that unrestricted access would be granted to the United Nations inspectors as well as the submission of the outstanding semi-annual monitoring declarations, are welcomed by the NAM as further steps towards full compliance by Iraq with the relevant Security Council resolutions.
At their meeting in New York on 18 September 2002 the Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement encouraged Iraq and the United Nations to intensify their efforts in search of a lasting, just and comprehensive solution to all outstanding issues between them. The Ministers also emphasised the urgent need for a peaceful solution on the issue of Iraq in a way that preserves the authority and credibility of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, as well as peace and stability in the region.
The timetable that has been presented to the Security Council by Dr Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC, on 19 September 2002 is welcomed. The Non-Aligned Movement calls for the inspectors to return to Iraq as a matter of urgency. We have full confidence that the inspectors would discharge their duties to the highest professional standards consistent with their current mandate.
The Non-Aligned Movement supports the Security Council's efforts to explore all peaceful means to resolve the situation in Iraq and to avoid a war that would cause further suffering to the people of Iraq and the region."
A copy of the letter has also been provided to the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom and the Ambassador of the United States to South Africa in their capacity as the other two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
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