Happy New Year. The world has just bid goodbye to 2003 and celebrated the arrival of a New Year. The third year in the new millennium witnessed major political changes and some of the most dangerous events that led to disasters in the trouble spots around world where wars, conflicts and invasions were the common news.
These terrible events forced many nations to demand an end to wars being waged under different names and to demand the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction that now threaten humanity everywhere.
Greece, a member of the European Union, has proposed that an international document to stop wars around the world be signed by leading international figures. This document will be formally announced during the upcoming Olympics to be held in Athens and will serve as a new world constitution that expresses the people’s hopes and aspirations toward peace.
So far, a large number of international figures have signed the document, including Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations; Boutros Boutros Ghali, former UN secretary-general; Amr Mousa, secretary general of the Arab League; Egyptian Nobel Prize winner, Neguib Mahfooz; and Portuguese Nobel Prize winner, Jose Saramago. The year 2003 saw the world stand united for elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, out of the conviction that the people of the world could live in peace if their politicians reconciled differences among themselves, even amid intense economical competition. The five permanent members of the Security Council excluded, it is hoped that the world will engage in bilateral or collective agreements to rid itself of weapons of mass destruction that threaten peace and security.
In an attempt to prevent the weapons of mass destruction from spreading further, it has been decided that countries with military nuclear programs should be isolated along with countries producing biological and chemical weapons.
However, reality has pushed through here. India and Pakistan have now joined the nuclear club. The world accepted the situation in the hope that this would achieve a balance in the power capabilities of both countries and thus help protect the region from military confrontations.
The big powers now estimate that the confrontation is limited to the three countries which have already been accused of attempting to acquire nuclear weapons; Iraq, North Korea and Iran. The political war and diplomatic pressure are already under way. Iraq was invaded and is being occupied under the pretext of destroying weapons of mass destruction that to date have not been found. War tactics are being directed against North Korea and Iran.
At the same time, however, one country was unjustifiably excluded; Israel, with everyone avoiding the mentioning of its name in these unfolding events. This is the situation despite the fact that Israel is in possession of nuclear weapons. Many military and political analysts say Israel now is the third largest nuclear power in the world with a nuclear arsenal that far outweighs that of China, France and England. At the same time, Israel refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and other treaties relating to weapons of mass destruction. Israel is constantly standing against any attempt by the international community to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction.
Just a few days ago, the director of Israel’s secret service, Shin Beit, accused Iran of being the number one terrorist country in the world and that it represented a threat to Israeli security by developing non-conventional weapons.
Of the head of Shin Beit we ask: Aren’t the atrocities being committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians struggling for freedom the real terrorism? Don’t the internationally banned nuclear, chemical, biological and other unconventional weapons that Israel posses a genuine threat to all Arab countries and the entire Middle East?
Israel is a country that does not hold any respect for international treaties or international laws. This is why the people of the Europe regard it as the number one threat to world peace and security.
Here, we say to the people of the world, New Year celebrations should be accompanied by demands to rid the world of all weapons of mass destruction, wars, and the discriminate treatment of nations for the sake of genuine peace. Only then can 2004 be called the Year of Peace.
