PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, 23 April 2004 — Islamic countries yesterday urged the United Nations to return to Iraq and take “a central role” in restoring peace and security, citing grave concerns about terrorist attacks and US-led forces’ “sheer disregard” for protecting civilians and sacred sites.
Delegates to an emergency meeting of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference urged the UN Security Council to pass a new resolution giving the world body the “necessary mandate” to help restore Iraqi sovereignty.
“We recognize and stress the importance of the United Nations in playing a central role to establish peace, security and stability in Iraq,” delegates said in a declaration issued at the end of the one-day meeting.
“In this regard, we urge the Security Council to adopt a resolution in due course which will effectively help the restoration of sovereignty and full independence to Iraqi people, and empower the United Nations with the necessary mandate and authority to ensure achievement of this goal,” they said.
In a separate statement, delegates condemned Israel’s plan to withdraw from Gaza but keep some settlements in Palestinian territory, and criticized the US government for supporting it.
“We strongly reject the recent unilateral Israeli plan as it breaches the resolutions of international legitimacy,” the second declaration said.
It also urged the Security Council to prevent further assassinations of Palestinians by Israel, and called for UN peacekeepers to monitor the peace process.
The statement on Iraq softened criticism of US-led forces that was contained in an earlier draft, removing a reference to “heavy casualties among civilians.”
But it retained condemnation of the occupation forces for failing to protect civilians and for attacking religious sites, calling these clear violations of the Geneva conventions.
“We express grave concern over the current situation in Iraq, in particular the sheer disregard to the protection of civilians as well as the targeting and destruction of places of worship,” the delegates said.
Meeting a day after suicide bombings killed at least 68 people in the Iraqi city of Basra, the meeting also strongly condemned “heinous acts of terrorism being carried out against innocent Iraqi civilians, places of worship” and other targets, including police stations and diplomatic personnel.
Some OIC countries arrived at the meeting saying they might send troops to protect the United Nations if the world body returns to Iraq, though it was not on the agenda. The United Nations pulled its staff from Iraq in October after two bombings at its Baghdad headquarters.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said a UN resolution could give Islamic countries the “necessary sanction” to contribute to a UN protection force in Iraq. Many Muslim countries are wary about being seen as too closely allied to the US forces.
