Europe still split on Iraq after Powell evidence

Date: 06/02/03

By David Cronin

THE four EU member states on the UN's Security Council remain split down the middle over what action to take against Iraq, despite US evidence of "active and systematic efforts" by Saddam Hussein's regime to conceal that it is developing weapons of mass destruction.

However, there appeared to be a significant shift in the mood among political leaders in Brussels after Secretary of State Colin Powell presented the US case in a 76-minute speech to the Council yesterday (5 February).

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw described the evidence presented by his US counterpart as "most powerful and authoritative". It included telephone intercepts, satellite photographs and intelligence data unreleased until now.

The British view was shared by Spain. Ana Palacio, its foreign minister, said: "We cannot go along with violation of international law, which is endangering international peace and security."

There was "only one explanation" for the lack of cooperation which Blix has complained of: "Saddam Hussein has not renounced his plan to use them [weapons of mass destruction], just as he did not hesitate to use them in the past."

But the other two Union representatives on the Council, France and Germany, were unconvinced by Powell's assertion that leaving Saddam unopposed was "not an option in the post-11 September world".

France's Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said the weapons inspectors should be allowed to continue their work and, if necessary, their number should be doubled or trebled. "Why go to war if there still exists some unused space in Resolution 1441?" he asked.

1441 warns of "serious consequences" if Iraq does not cooperate with the inspectors.

Germany remains Europe's most vociferous opponent of war. Joschka Fischer, its foreign minister, was unable to respond to Powell's speech as he chaired yesterday's Council session. However, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder vowed this week not to alter his anti-war policy, even though his Social Democrats suffered a crushing defeat in regional elections last Sunday (2 February).

Only a week ago, most MEPs shared his view. But there were signs last night of a changing mood in Brussels.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, the German leader of the 233-strong European People's Party, the largest political group in the Parliament, said it was now clearly up to Saddam to "disprove" the evidence put forward by Powell.

Graham Watson, Liberal group leader, stated that the American had made a "strong case" that Iraq was failing to cooperate with the weapons inspectors.

Pierre Jonckheer, deputy leader of the Greens/European Free Alliance group, who has just returned from a fact-finding trip to Iraq, agreed. He said:

"It was very convincing, I was particularly impressed by Powell's determination."

Jens-Peter Bonde, leader of the eurosceptic Group of European Democracies and Diversities, described the evidence as "very compelling"; the same adjective was used by MEP Philippe Morillon, the French general who led NATO forces in Bosnia in 1992-3.

"It reinforces my belief the Security Council will approve the use of force," he said. "The Blix report on 14 February will now be decisive. It will be Saddam's last chance to avert war."

Socialist group leader Enrique Barón Crespo would not be drawn on whether war was now more likely. Instead, he stressed that the weapons inspectors should be given greater resources and that Iraq should be more proactive in its response.

All agreed that the UN should be the forum for deciding whether to take military action. "Powell has placed America's finger on the trigger but it should not be pulled without a clear go-ahead from the UN Security Council," said Watson.

One notable former military leader, however, insisted that Powell had not succeeded in making the case for war.

General Klaus Naumann, former chairman of the NATO military committee, said that although Powell had provided "clear" evidence Iraq had not complied with Resolution 1441, this was not sufficient to send troops into combat.

"Nor was there any great new revelations about Iraq's biological and nuclear programme," added the German.

In his address to the Council, Powell alleged:

• Iraq has more than 100 tonnes of chemical agents;
• Iraqis are working with al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, and;
• Saddam has a cadre of nuclear scientists who have designed a nuclear bomb; all they lack is the fissile materials to create it.

Riyadh Alweyes, Iraq's chargé d'affaires in Brussels, said Powell's evidence was weak.

Referring to photographs of suspected weapons sites and recordings of intercepted military calls, he added: "Who can prove those photographs were taken in Iraq?

"And who can say those telephone conversations were not fabricated by the Americans?"

Greece's EU presidency tried to downplay the divisions between member states last night. "The more the international community can be united, the more effective it can be," remarked Foreign Minister George Papandreou. "That's why the European Union has said 'the UN - that's where we make the decisions'."

NATO ambassadors will meet today (6 February) to see if a contingency plan can be agreed for protecting Turkey if it comes under Iraqi fire.

France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg feel it is premature to develop such a plan as they do not wish to consider a war scenario which would preempt diplomatic efforts to solve the current crisis.

Lord Robertson, the Alliance's secretary-general, hoped that the ambassadors "might be able to reach conclusions". "The EU and NATO are completely united," he said. "Saddam Hussein has no alternative other than to comply with the terms of that resolution [1441] and to disarm."

The four EU Member States on the UN's Security Council remain split down the middle over what action to take against Iraq, despite US evidence of 'active and systematic efforts' by Saddam Hussein's regime to conceal that it is developing weapons of mass destruction.