LONDON, 14 April 2003 — US Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday warned Syria against offering safe haven to fleeing members of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s regime.
“We think it will be very unwise if, suddenly, Syria becomes a haven for all these people who should be brought to justice, who are trying to get out of Baghdad,” Powell said in a BBC television interview.
Syria had been a concern in Washington “for a long period of time,” Powell said, alleging that Damascus was a state sponsor of “terrorism” and a supplier of military supplies to Saddam’s regime.
“And so are making this point clearly and in a very direct manner to the Syrians,” he told the “Breakfast with Frost” program. “We hope the Syrians will respond accordingly.” On Friday US President George W. Bush urged Damascus to close its border with Iraq to prevent followers of Saddam crossing into Syria and asked it to turn over any who might already have taken refuge in the country. Powell said the course of events in Iraq — which US and British forces invaded on March 20 — would set an example to other nations with harsh regimes. He cited Iran and North Korea, which Bush has said belong to an “axis of evil” with oil-rich Iraq.
“One of the good things that will come out of what has happened in Iraq is that Iraq can become an example...of a nation that can now use its treasure to develop an economic system and a political system that will make them welcomed into the family of nations and become a responsible player in the region,” he said. Powell said France, Germany and Russia had given Saddam “some comfort” by refusing to support a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have authorized the US-led war to oust the Iraqi leader. But he said the task now was for the United Nations to re-establish its authority, become “vibrant” and develop into “a strengthened institution.”
“The United States is not mad with the United Nations,” he added. But he rejected a call by French President Jacques Chirac for the United Nations to be put solely in charge of Iraq’s reconstruction. “It was this coalition of nations that was willing to put its treasure at risk, take the political risk, and put its sons and daughters at risk,” he said of the countries that backed the war.
“We are committed to making sure that the Iraqi people have a democratic form of government and we believe we have a leading role to play in bringing this about,” he said. Powell said the warring coalition would encourage the formation of an interim authority which would have legitimacy “given to it first and foremost by the Iraqi people.” He said he hoped the interim authority would “in due course” obtain legitimacy from the United Nations “through an endorsement of the Iraqi authority.”
On weapons of mass destruction, Powell reiterated Washington’s view that there was no immediate need to involve the United Nations or others in the search for and chemical, biological or nuclear programs in Iraq. “We don’t feel a need right now to consult with respect to the weapons of mass destruction because the (military) campaign is still under way,” he said.
