| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Members of Congress called on President Bush to “…make every
attempt to achieve Iraq's disarmament through diplomatic means and with
the full support of our allies, in accordance with the process articulated
in UN Security Council resolution 1441.”
In
a letter organized by U.S. Representatives Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Kind
(D-WI), Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Lloyd Dogget (D-TX), and signed by U.S.
Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and others, the members urged the
President to demonstrate to the American people and the world that the
United States is “committed to the diplomatic approach and comprehensive
inspections process agreed to in UN Security Council resolution 1441.”
The
full text of the letter to President Bush is below:
January
24, 2003
President
of the United States
The
White House
1600
Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington
D.C. 20500
Dear
Mr. President,
On
November 8, 2002, the United Nations Security Council unanimously endorsed
a resolution designed to force Iraq to give up any weapons of mass destruction.
We believe the U.S. should make every attempt to achieve Iraq's disarmament
through diplomatic means and with the full support of our allies, in accordance
with the process articulated in UN Security Council resolution 1441.
The
UN resolution calls for a tough new weapons inspection regime; it requires
the government of Iraq to provide inspectors with immediate, unimpeded,
unconditional, and unrestricted access, and requires that Iraq permit inspectors
to interview officials, scientists, and other individuals as necessary
to fulfill the mandate of the resolution. This is an inherently difficult
task, requiring patience and perseverance.
The
report scheduled to be given by Chief UN weapons inspector Dr. Hans Blix
and Director General Mohamed ElBaradei on January 27, 2003 will assess
whether the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission
(UNMOVIC) and International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) comprehensive
mission is proceeding in the unobstructed and effective manner necessary
to realize the aims of UN Security Council resolution 1441. We encourage
your Administration to sufficiently weigh future decisions regarding Iraq
on the assessment given by UNMOVIC/IAEA, including additional inspection
time and resources as appropriate. Your commitment to working through
the UN Security Council and your vocal support for resolution 1441 are
critical to UNMOVIC/IAEA’s eventual success.
In
addition, we respectfully urge you to use the opportunity provided in the
upcoming State of the Union Address to offer assurances both to the American
people and the international community that the United States remains committed
to the diplomatic approach and comprehensive inspections process agreed
to in UN Security Council resolution 1441.
Thank
you for your consideration, and we look forward to your response. |
