Egypt cautiously welcomed Security Council Resolution 1441 as an opportunity for Iraq to avert a US military strike. Soha Abdelaty reports Click to view caption For Cairo, which is deeply concerned about the destabilising consequences of a military operation in the region, UN Security Council Resolution 1441 on Iraq reduces the chances of a US military strike against the Gulf country. Egypt also views the resolution as a triumph for multilateral action and respect for international legitimacy. The Iraqi problem is now in the hands of the United Nations Security Council and the inspection team, say Egyptian officials, who believe that a peaceful resolution to the impasse with Iraq is on the horizon. The only remaining step is for Baghdad to comply with the resolution. "Since the crisis broke out, Egypt has taken the position that the matter must be resolved peacefully and within the framework of international legitimacy and the Security Council," Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Saturday. With that in mind, Egypt and other Arab countries have exerted efforts "to convince the United States of the necessity of working through the Security Council" rather than dealing with the matter unilaterally. "This is progress from the state of apprehension that we have witnessed in the past period," Maher said. The foreign minister pointed out that Resolution 1441 is unlike previous resolutions because it "does not authorise an automatic use of force" in the event of Iraqi non- compliance. Egypt's permanent representative to the UN echoed similar sentiments. "[The resolution] contains no indication of the possibility of waging war nor a proxy for any military operation against Iraq," Ahmed Abul-Gheit said on Sunday. "It diminishes any chance of a military operation against Iraq if it accepts the resolution," Abul- Gheit added. Egyptian officials seemed confident that Iraq will accept the resolution even before Baghdad gave its official response. Iraqi Foreign Minister Nagi Sabri, who was in Cairo to attend the extra-ordinary ministerial Arab League meeting earlier in the week, consulted with Egyptian officials in this respect. He met President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday and his Egyptian counterpart the day before. After Sabri's meeting with Mubarak, Maher told reporters that the two sides agreed it was important for the inspectors to resume their work "in an objective and impartial manner and within the framework of what is dictated by Security Council resolutions, especially with regards to the respect for Iraqi sovereignty." Although Egyptian officials said that they are awaiting the official Iraqi response to the resolution, after the meeting with Sabri they predicted that Baghdad would accept the new decision. "Iraq has for a while conveyed its readiness to accept the return of the inspectors and the resumption of their work," Maher said on Saturday. "I believe it will deal with the resolution in the same spirit." Even the Iraqi parliament's recommendation on Tuesday to reject the resolution did not shake Egypt's optimism. Maher noted that the body is leaving the final decision to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the Revolutionary Council, which have a more comprehensive perspective on the situation. "Judging from statements by Iraqi officials -- which we heard before and after the passing of the [UN] resolution -- I think we can expect Iraq to cooperate," he added on Tuesday. For his part, Sabri seemed encouraged by the resolution, telling reporters in Cairo that it is still being scrutinised in Baghdad. At the same time, he hailed international efforts to expose what he called the "evil intentions of the American administration" and to put a halt to the "aggressive American goals which aimed to use the Security Council as a cover", alluding to previous attempts by the US to win support for a resolution authorising the use of force against Iraq. Egyptian and American officials are dismissing speculation that the new resolution is merely a smokescreen whereby Iraq is presented with conditions that would be difficult for Baghdad to meet and thus provide legitimacy for a US strike. Cairo was quick to highlight the extensive discussions held in the corridors of the UN that were directed at coming up with a resolution to minimise the possibility of a military response. "There is nothing [in the resolution] that would lead us to doubt that all parties will comply with it and implement it in good faith," Maher said. For its part, the US is saying that the terms of the new resolution are not meant to be difficult for Iraq, as US Ambassador to Cairo David Welch noted after meeting with Maher on Saturday. "This [resolution] does strengthen the inspection regime, but the bottom line here is not what the inspectors will do, it's what Iraq does. And it's up to Iraq to find a way to comply," he said. "[Resolution 1441] restated what the requirements are: it strengthened the inspections regime, and it reminded people that these are serious resolutions that have to be taken seriously. If they're not, then there will be serious consequences," Welch said. Observers believe, however, that the problem is not whether or not Iraq accepts Resolution 1441 since all parties expect it to, but whether Baghdad will be able to meet the requirements set down by the Security Council. The US and UK seem convinced that it will not, and seem to be acting on the basis of this assumption. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Sunday that the "more important deadline" is on 7 December, when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is required to "produce a complete disclosure of his weapons of mass destruction and the means for producing them". Therefore, according to Straw, during the next 30 days it will become clear whether Hussein is serious about complying. Straw said that the Iraqi president faces "the choice of his lifetime", but added that he would be surprised if Baghdad complies. The resolution states that in the event of Iraqi non- compliance, the Security Council would convene immediately to discuss the matter, which -- from Egypt's perspective -- obliges the US to return the issue to the hands of the international community. But according to US officials nothing, in the resolution or elsewhere, can stop the US from defending itself by taking military action against Iraq if the latter fails to fulfil its obligations. US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday that Washington "will ask the UN to give authorisation for all necessary means, and if the UN is not willing to do that, the United States, with like-minded nations, will go and disarm [Iraq] forcefully." In the meantime, Egypt is trying to ensure that the US will not find a justification for a military strike against Iraq. Parallel to this, Cairo has promised Washington that it would continue its consultations with the Iraqi regime to convince it to comply. "My view all along has been that Egypt has supported Security Council resolutions and has consistently called upon Iraq to comply with them," Welch said. "I would expect that of Egypt in this case too," he added, noting a phone conversation on Friday between Maher and Powell, during which the former conveyed this message to his American counterpart. Related stories: A pretext for war? A lesser evil Clear and present danger Reparing the damage
