18 April 2002 00:00
STATEMENT BY THE STATE DUMA CONCERNING THE THREATS TO GLOBAL SECURITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ANTITERRORIST OPERATION
The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation notes with concern that the development of the situation in the world since the events of September 11, 2001, has begun to assume an ever more alarming character. As a consequence of the distortion of the principles and aims of the struggle against international terrorism and manifestation of tendencies for militarizing international relations, grave threats to global and regional security have arisen. Conditioned by the unprecedented human casualties, the leadership of the United States of America in the antiterrorist coalition has resulted in that the struggle has begun to be waged not so much against real terrorist organizations as against the regimes traditionally unsuitable to Washington, but whose involvement in Al-Qaeda is not established.
The State Duma believes that the slogan of combating terrorism cannot be used by the United States of America to settle scores with Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iraq, grouped by Washington in an "axis of evil." The State Duma unequivocally condemns the practice of unsubstantiated labeling and the creation of artificial barriers in the development of international cooperation. The ensuring of global security is not exhausted by the national security interests of one state. The calls for overthrowing the political regimes in Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iraq under any pretexts, be it the prevention of the spread of weapons of mass destruction or the struggle against terrorism, constitute interference in the internal affairs of these states, are fraught with unpredictable consequences and are categorically denounced by the State Duma.
The United States of America has no right to ignore the opinion of antiterrorist coalition allies regarding the necessity to intensify contacts with the representatives of the moderate political forces in Iran for the purpose of encouraging democratic tendencies there. The State Duma welcomes the intention of the European Union to develop the broadest cooperation with Iran, including in the fields of combating terrorism and protecting human rights. The involvement of Iran in a constructive dialogue with the world community fully meets the interests of global and regional security.
The State Duma notes that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been faithfully observing its obligations under the Framework Agreement Between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States of America, concluded in Geneva on October 21, 1994, as well as the moratorium on the testing of long-range ballistic missiles. The efforts of the leaderships of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Korea and the previous administration of the United States of America to achieve mutual understanding with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea led to encouraging results and made possible a comprehensive political solution of the problem of the North Korean missile programs. Continued cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains the most effective method of ensuring stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The State Duma welcomes the readiness of Iraq for the resumption without any conditions of a dialogue with the United Nations, as well as the continuing cooperation of Baghdad with the International Atomic Energy Agency, of which the recent visit to Iraq of a group of the Agency's inspectors is evidence. The State Duma calls upon the Iraqi leadership to show good will and resume cooperation with the United Nations in the field of disarmament, which will open the way for the lifting of sanctions on Iraq.
In the opinion of the deputies of the State Duma, it can hardly be regarded as a mere coincidence that after the unambiguous threats of the United States of America, bordering on the declaration of war on Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iraq, followed a new flare of violence in the Middle East. Adventurism, especially in international affairs, has always served as a breeding ground for extremists, supporters of the solution of interstate issues by force-based, including terrorist, methods.
The State Duma draws attention to the inadmissibility of an attitude merely prompted by expediency to UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and of a free interpretation of its provisions, as a result of which one of the main components of this document becomes depreciated - the call for intensified all-round cooperation among states with a view to preventing terrorist acts and cutting the channels of financing for international terrorism. It is such cooperation, not military blackmail that should become the basis of collective efforts in the struggle against international terrorism. The State Duma is again resolutely speaking for the necessity of carrying out the international antiterrorist operation only in full accordance with the universally recognized principles and rules of international law.
Moscow, March 13, 2002
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© Publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
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