Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein must provide “100%” compliance with United Nations demands on disarmament, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair told MPs Tuesday.
“This time, Saddam must understand – now is the time for him to decide,” the British premier said in a British House of Commons statement.
“Passive rather than active cooperation will not do. Cooperation on process but not on substance will not do. Refusal to declare properly and fully wt has happened to the unaccounted for weapons of mass destruction will not do,” he added.
Blair said 100% cooperation was now needed, adding that “anything less will not do”. Blair added: “Even now we are prepared to go the extra step to achieve disarmament peacefully.
“I do not want war. I do not believe anyone in this House wants war. But disarmament peacefully can only happen with Saddam’s active co-operation.”
Meanwhile, China on Tuesday said a second US-UK sponsored U.N. resolution to disarm Iraq was "unnecessary" and backed the French-Russian-German initiative to prolong weapons inspections in Baghdad.
"We have expressed clearly our position that there is no need for a second resolution since Resolution 1441 has not been fully implemented," Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan told reporters.
"The Chinese side maintains that the priority at this stage is to implement in full Resolution 1441 which was adopted unanimously by Security Council members. Since this has not be finished, it is not necessary to table a second one," Kong said.
The spokesman said China hopes to see the resolution of the Iraqi crisis peacefully under UN framework. "All concerned parties should concentrate their energies on how to implement in real earnest resolution 1441," he said.
"As to the implementation of this resolution, security council members should have close consultations," Kong said.
(Albawaba.com)
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