POST-SADDAM IRAQ PLANS DEBATED BY UNITED NATIONS
The rapid military success of the United States and its allies in Iraq has accelerated the debate over the role of the United Nations in a post-Saddam Iraq. Following the successful invasion and occupation of Iraq, the United States and its allies plan to take complete, unilateral control of the country. An interim administration headed by the American military will direct the reconstruction of the country and the creation of a "representative" Iraqi government. Iraqi government officials will be subjected to "de-Baathification," a reference to Saddam's ruling Baath Party, under a program that borrows from the "de-Nazification" program established in Germany after World War II. Iraqi opposition leaders have already been informed that the United States will not recognize any Iraqi provisional government being discussed by some members of the UN Security Council; instead some 20 to 25 Iraqis will assist American authorities in a U.S.-appointed "consultative council," with no governing responsibility.
Officials of other governments--in particular France, Russia, and China but also including America's ally Great Britain--are insisting that relief and reconstruction tasks take place under a multinational administration supervised by the United Nations. Although initial food supplies can be provided by the United States, the overall humanitarian aid and distribution network must be administered by the United Nations. These nations are also convinced that the United Nations must be involved in the whole democratization process in Iraq as well, including the very important constitutional debate, where it can bring to bear the broad global experience of different kinds of representational government. There is also support in the Security Council for the creation of a United Nations special tribunal to bring the members of Saddam Hussein's regime to trial for crimes against humanity.
CONCERN RISES OVER NORTH KOREAN WITHDRAWAL FROM NPT
On 10 January 2003, North Korea notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN Security Council that Pyongyang was withdrawing from the NPT, and that the withdrawal would be effective the next day. The NPT withdrawal swiftly followed an announcement that North Korea was lifting the freeze on its nuclear program. International monitoring agencies estimates that North Korea most likely already has one or two nuclear bombs, but is unclear whether these devices have been "weaponized" or mated with delivery systems, and the location of any such weapons is unknown.
North Korea states that it seeks peaceful coexistence with South Korea and the international community. The North Korean government cites a "nuclear threat from the United States" as the reason for their nuclear weapons program and claims that the United States has about 1,000 nuclear weapons deployed in South Korea and many more on submarines and ships stationed in northeast Asia within striking distance of the Korean peninsula. They point to American military aggression in Iraq as justification for their preparation to defend themselves by "any and all means necessary."
The United States denies it has any nuclear arms in South Korea and argues that Pyongyang`s nuclear motivations are malign and constitute a serious threat to world peace. North Korea has a record of supporting terrorist organizations and many analysts also argue that Pyongyang`s record of exporting ballistic missiles indicates that North Korea would probably be willing to sell nuclear materials, technology, or complete nuclear weapons.
The United States claims it is doing everything it can to seek a diplomatic resolution to the standoff over Pyongyang`s ambitions to build nuclear bombs, but also adds that it has already demonstrated its determination to use power to keep the peace with or without the sanction of the United Nations. Pyongyang has stated that it will not return to the NPT, but that it is open to a bilateral verification regime with the United States under the supervision of the United Nations which will address "all security concerns, including the nuclear issue," but only if Washington would provide security assurances through a "non-aggression treaty" guaranteed by the Security Council.
For
the complete version of this background paper.
the BBC
version
