UN incapable of organising Iraq's reconstruction, Australia says

SYDNEY (AFP) Apr 09, 2003
A key Australian minister launched a strong attack on the UN Security Council Wednesday, saying it had failed the world over Iraq and is now incapable of organising its post-war reconstruction.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said the five permanent members of the Security Council -- France, China, Russia, Britain and the United States -- would have to rethink their attitudes because deep divisions between them had led to the current war.

"The Security Council has failed the world community badly in this instance," Hill told reporters in Brisbane.

"They passed 12 years of resolutions, but it wasn't prepared to enforce them. That sends a very unhelpful message to dictators who develop weapons of mass destruction and are prepared to use them on their own people and on their neighbours."

As wrangling continues at the United Nations and between the United States and its key ally Britain over the role the UN should play in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq, Hill said he did not believe the UN was up to the task anyway.

"The UN after all is only the collective attitude of its member states and we believe that they are not ready to take up the challenge," he said.

He said Australia was prepared to play a part in the reconstruction of Iraq in specialist areas such as agriculture, but would not commit a military force to any peacekeeping role.

Australia supports the US position that it should have initial responsibility for installing an interim Iraqi government, not the United Nations.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Sunday Australian officials were already working in Washington and Kuwait with the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs (ORHA), a US-run government-in-waiting ready to move into Iraq as soon as Baghdad falls.

The Australian Financial Review reported that eight Australians were now attached to ORHA in Kuwait and one experienced Canberra administrator was expected to assume a senior management position in the office of the retired US general in charge of the administration, Jay Garner.

The officials were selected because of their specialised knowledge in areas including oil, macro-economic management, agriculture, aid and defence, and more are expected to join them in coming weeks.

SPACE.WIRE