Asian nations seek more Iraq scrutiny

www.chinapost.com.tw 2003/2/16 JAKARTA, Indonesia, AP

Australia, a key U.S. ally, was unmoved Saturday by a report from United Nations inspectors that found no evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, while Japan cast doubts over the effectiveness of the probe.

Mainland China °X Asia's only permanent U.N. Security Council member °X pressed for more inspections and sought a political solution to the crisis, and Malaysia, a mostly moderate Muslim country, hardened its position against a war in Iraq.

Much like in the rest of the world, reaction to the inspectors' report to the U.N. Security Council was mixed.

Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei offered a far more measured appraisal of Iraq's compliance than the harsh assessments they issued two weeks ago to the council. The United States and Britain had hoped for a tougher report Friday which they could use to justify a new U.N. resolution quickly authorizing force against Saddam.

Only Spain and Britain spoke up for the U.S. position in the 15-member Security Council. Other countries, led by France and Syria, said the report showed Iraq is becoming more cooperative and that inspectors should be given additional time complete their work.

Japan took the middle ground, saying it wanted a peaceful solution but cautiously noted there were doubts over the effectiveness of inspections.

Given Iraq's track record of "passive cooperation," Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said in a written statement, "it is undeniable that doubts about the effectiveness of the continued inspections arise."

But she stopped short of throwing Japan's lot in with the U.S. call for immediate military action. Instead, Tokyo demands Iraq "seriously address the final opportunity" being offered by the Security Council to clear its name, she said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan called for more inspections.

"Only when we go along the line of political settlement can we truly live up to the trust and hope the international community places in the Security Council," Tang said Friday at the United Nations in New York.

Megawati said the crisis in Iraq should be resolved peacefully through the United Nations, reiterating her government's long-standing position against a "regime change" in Iraq.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said late Friday that his government would not support a war, even if it is approved by the U.N. Security Council.

"If the majority of the United Nations has decided and the Security Council decided to go to war against Iraq, they can," Mahathir was quoted as saying by the national news agency Bernama. "But we will not endorse (a war)."

Mahathir has warned a U.S.-led war against Iraq will be perceived by Muslims as an attack against Islam and spawn new extremists, undermining the U.S.-led war on terrorism.