Press Release, Islamabad 12 April, 2003

IRAQ SITUATION

Press Release, Islamabad 12 April, 2003

Pakistan is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in Iraq. It is clear that the Government of President Saddam Hussein is no longer functioning. This has been confirmed by the Iraqi Permanent Representative in New York.

Pakistan's position on the current situation on Iraq is based on the following principles:

Government of Iraq is the right of the Iraqi people, and therefore it should be restored to them, as soon as possible;

Powers in effective control of Iraq are obligated under The Hague and Geneva Conventions to address the humanitarian and other basic needs of Iraqi people as well as to restore public order in Iraq;

The territorial and sovereignty of Iraq must be preserved, and also its rights over its natural resources, which has been reaffirmed in UN Security Council resolution 1472 (Oil for Food);

The Security Council must resume its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in the context of Iraq;

The UN should have a central role in shaping the future of Iraq, as well as in addressing the humanitarian and long term reconstruction of Iraq. In this context, it is recalled that Resolution 1472, while outlining UN role in humanitarian assistance, expresses the readiness of the Security Council, as a second step, to authorized the UN Security Council to perform additional functions with the necessary coordination as soon as the situation permits as activities of the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq resume.

Since international law demands that parties in effective control are obligated to meet the humanitarian and basic needs of the Iraqi people, which is reiterated in resolution UNSC 1472, we would have to coordinate our actions in these areas with them.