The Hindu : International : Ambiguity on government's powers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

International

International

Ambiguity on government's powers

WASHINGTON, JUNE 9. The U.S. President, George Bush, claimed a diplomatic victory yesterday for securing the international agreement for a U.N. resolution backing a provisional Iraqi government.

The text of the negotiated resolution does not explicitly give the caretaker government in Baghdad a veto over individual operations by a U.S.-led multinational force, but it will have to be consulted and it will also have the right — in theory — to order the total withdrawal of foreign troops at any time.

The compromise was reached in time to remove Iraq as a potential flashpoint at the G-8 summit hosted by Mr. Bush near Savannah, Georgia.

The deal was sealed after the U.N.-designated Iraqi Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, and the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, wrote to the Security Council outlining a common view of how foreign forces should operate, and pledging to set up a joint forum to negotiate controversial actions.

But it rests on an ambiguity over the powers of the caretaker government due to assume sovereignty on June 30. The text of the resolution gives the multinational force ``the authority to take all necessary measures to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq.''

France and other Security Council members had called for the caretaker Government to have the right to block `sensitive' operations like the siege of Fallujah or any offensives on Islamic holy sites. But the final draft only calls for Iraqi leaders and the U.S. force commanders to reach agreement. It does not stipulate what should happen if they do not. The interim Government could call on the U.N. to terminate the multinational force's mandate before its renewal in a year's time, but total withdrawal of foreign troops would almost certainly strip Iraqi leaders of their protection.

A French official claimed yesterday that Paris had won `'90 per cent of what we asked for.'' ``The resolution doesn't say what happens if there is disagreement over sensitive operations and the remaining ambiguity is regrettable,'' the official conceded. ``But we think it is a good resolution.''

— Guardian Newspaers Limited 2004

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