Anti-war group slams UN's Iraq resolution

12 June 2004
The Times Of India

Anti-war group slams UN's Iraq resolution

SIDDHARTH VARADARAJAN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

NEW DELHI - The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and
Peace (CNDP), an umbrella group of anti-war groups
formed after the 1998 nuclear tests, said on Saturday
that the latest UN resolution on Iraq was "a shameful
capitulation to the US " by the world body. Any
endorsement of this resolution by the Indian
government, let alone sending of troops, "represents a
betrayal of the Iraqi people, of elementary principles
of justice, and of an independent Indian foreign
policy," the group said.

Resolution 1546 "recognises as 'sovereign' an interim
government set up after June 30 that, like the
Governing Council, is established effectively by the
US and not the UN," said the CNDP in a statement.

"It legitimises an illegal, US-dominated occupation
force as a UN-mandated 'multinational' force and
endorses this occupation at least until December 31,
2005 when an elected 'transitional government' is to
be established."

Pointing out that any removal of US-led troops before
then by the interim Iraqi government is subject to
Security Council authorisation - where the US can
exercise its veto - the group said the resolution
endorses ultimate US and not Iraqi or UN control over
the deployment and use of "the occupying
'multinational' forces".

Moreover, Article 27 of the resolution allows all
US-organised contracts for oil companies before June
30, 2004 to continue to have immunity from any
scrutiny by the interim Iraqi government.