'The General Council recall and reaffirm the positions
adopted by Congress in 2002, the key points of which were that
the emphasis should be on a multilateral approach working
through, and only with, the explicit authority of the UN
Security Council; that they unambiguously opposed any military
action being contemplated by the US or any other country on a
unilateral basis; that the Government should seek to align
with our EU partners its response to any initiative by the US
Administration; and that military action should only be an
option as a last resort, if all diplomacy failed, and if there
was evidence made generally available which clearly
demonstrated that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of
mass destruction and delivery systems and posed a real threat
to world peace.
'On the evidence currently available, the General Council
do not judge these conditions to have been met and for war to
be justified. They reiterate the view of Congress that to
avoid the desperate human cost that would arise in the event
of war, particularly on the various peoples of Iraq and the
massive refugee problem which may be caused, every effort
should be made to find solutions through diplomatic and
peaceful means with the UN playing a central role to ease
tension and avoid war, with the clear objective of achieving
disarmament and not regime change.
'The General Council are deeply concerned at increasing
indications that the United States Administration backed by
the British Government and some others, is intent on military
action in Iraq within weeks, and that action might be taken
without the explicit authorisation of the UN Security Council.
They emphasise that this approach is not supported by working
people and their families, their trade union organisations led
by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and
the European Trade Union Confederation, and the majority of
peoples and Governments worldwide. The General Council welcome
the joint statement of the President of the AFL-CIO and the
TUC General Secretary on 30 January in advance of the meeting
in Washington of the US President and British Prime Minister.
'The General Council welcome the massive and historic
demonstrations against war held in London, Glasgow, Belfast
and other towns and cities around the UK on February 15, in
which hundreds of thousands of trade unionists participated,
and believe that no democratic government can embark on a war
without the consent of the people. The General Council note
the opposition to war of such leaders as Nelson Mandela, the
Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and believe that moral
repugnance towards any regime cannot on its own be sufficient
justification for war. The General Council note that many
British trade unionists will be affected directly or
indirectly by any conflict, including as a result of the
economic consequences of war. They are also concerned at the
dangers of an increase in racial tensions and a possible
increase in racist attacks and activities in the event of war.
'The General Council are concerned at the damaging
consequences of action taken without the sanction of the
Security Council for multilateral institutions, such as the UN
and NATO, and for the future development of the European
Union. Such action would further destabilise the Middle East
region as a whole and exacerbate the problems in Israel and
Palestine.
'The General Council reiterate the condemnation by
Congress of the continuing political, national and religious
oppression by the Iraqi regime which has resulted in great
human suffering and a massive flow of refugees, as well as its
persistent flouting of the decisions of the United Nations
since 1991, which included 17 Resolutions. They insist that
Iraq should respect the terms of UNSC Resolution 1441 and
co-operate fully with the weapons inspectors.
'The General Council have considered the reports of the
chief weapons inspectors to the UN Security Council on 14
February and the subsequent debates in the UN and in the EU
Council. It was clear that the inspectors believed that, while
Iraq did not meet the requirements of Security Council
Resolution 1441 and previous Resolutions and should co-operate
fully, particularly concerning large unaccounted-for
quantities of deadly chemical and bacteriological agents and
in respect of prohibited long-range missiles, they also
believed that the inspection process had not run its course.
'The General Council believe that the monitoring and
inspection process should be given the time required and be
ongoing until the Security Council decide otherwise. The
adoption now of a further Security Council Resolution aimed at
short-circuiting this process would only undermine the
unanimity reached over UNSCR 1441.
'The General Council are requesting a meeting with the
Prime Minister to press him to use whatever influence he may
have on the US Administration, even at this late date, to work
towards a peaceful solution by all available means. The
General Council will be closely monitoring events in the
coming days and may be reconvened urgently - on an extended
basis to include representatives from all affiliated unions -
to consider the TUC�s position further.
'The General Council support the joint statement of the
Foreign Secretary and the Norwegian Foreign Minister on 21
January that �the international community must take as much
care to address the crisis in Israel and the Occupied
Territories as the crisis that results from Iraqi weapons of
mass destruction�. They call on the Prime Minister to press on
the President of the United States the need for active support
in seeking a lasting settlement based on the full
implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions, notably 242
and 338, including the ending of the settlements policy and
the creation of a viable Palestinian State alongside Israel.'
