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2004-09-22 05:11:44 UTC
Annan criticizes Bush administration on Iraq
AFP , UNITED NATIONS
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan took a fresh jab at US President
George W. Bush yesterday, in a clear sign that world opinion was still
far from making peace with the war in Iraq.
Annan opened this year's annual debate of world leaders at the UN by
criticizing Bush's plan to deliver democracy to Iraq through force in
a pointed speech aimed at underlining the importance of the rule of
law.
"Those who seek to bestow legitimacy must themselves embody it, and
those who invoke international law must themselves submit to it,"
Annan said, according to his prepared remarks.
"In Iraq, we see civilians massacred in cold blood while relief
workers, journalists and other non-combatants are taken hostage and
put to death in the most barbarous fashion," he said.
"At the same time, we have seen Iraqi prisoners disgracefully abused,"
he said, drawing a parallel between the Iraq bloodshed and the
prisoner scandal in a way destined to irk Bush, who was to due to
speak after Annan.
Annan has labored for a year to heal the deep divisions over the war
that brought down former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, and his
wide-ranging address referred to the catastrophe in Sudan, the ongoing
Middle East conflict and Russia's hostage tragedy.
But the UN chief, who just last week called the war "illegal," also
dropped repeated hints about what he has called Bush's unilateral
decision to invade Iraq against the grain of international opinion.
"It is the law, including Security Council resolutions, which offers
the best foundation for resolving prolonged conflicts -- in the Middle
East, in Iraq and around the world," he said.
AFP , UNITED NATIONS
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan took a fresh jab at US President
George W. Bush yesterday, in a clear sign that world opinion was still
far from making peace with the war in Iraq.
Annan opened this year's annual debate of world leaders at the UN by
criticizing Bush's plan to deliver democracy to Iraq through force in
a pointed speech aimed at underlining the importance of the rule of
law.
"Those who seek to bestow legitimacy must themselves embody it, and
those who invoke international law must themselves submit to it,"
Annan said, according to his prepared remarks.
"In Iraq, we see civilians massacred in cold blood while relief
workers, journalists and other non-combatants are taken hostage and
put to death in the most barbarous fashion," he said.
"At the same time, we have seen Iraqi prisoners disgracefully abused,"
he said, drawing a parallel between the Iraq bloodshed and the
prisoner scandal in a way destined to irk Bush, who was to due to
speak after Annan.
Annan has labored for a year to heal the deep divisions over the war
that brought down former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, and his
wide-ranging address referred to the catastrophe in Sudan, the ongoing
Middle East conflict and Russia's hostage tragedy.
But the UN chief, who just last week called the war "illegal," also
dropped repeated hints about what he has called Bush's unilateral
decision to invade Iraq against the grain of international opinion.
"It is the law, including Security Council resolutions, which offers
the best foundation for resolving prolonged conflicts -- in the Middle
East, in Iraq and around the world," he said.