Foreign Secretary Admits to Double Standards over Palestine

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Foreign Secretary Admits to Double Standards over Palestine

Speech by Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque at 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights

Tyneside STOP THE WAR Coalition Press Release

US admits “8,000 Iraqis captured” claim was false

The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has admitted that it is hypocritical for Britain, the US and other governments to demand the compliance of Iraq with UN Security council resolutions, while ignoring UN resolutions relating to the rights of the Palestinian people.The Foreign Secretary said he understood concern in the Arab world about what he referred to as “injustice against the Palestinians.”

In an interview with the BBC, Jack Straw stated, “There is a real concern too that the West has been guilty of double standards, on the one hand saying the UN Security council resolution's on Iraq must be implemented, on the other, sometimes appearing rather quixotic over the implementation of resolutions about Israel and Palestine.” The Foreign Secretary admitted that he had himself also been guilty of double standards “to a degree”.

This uncharacteristic admission of guilt is all part of the government’s propaganda offensive, waged to support and justify its criminal invasion of Iraq. The government has long attempted to present itself as an honest broker and even as a friend of the long-suffering peoples of the Middle East, including the Palestinians.

In preparation for its invasion of Iraq the government stepped up its interference in the Middle East, sponsoring the Conference on Palestinian Reform as a means to increase pressure on the Palestinian Authority to carry out internal economic and political reforms, in particular to create political institutions and political leaders, a constitution, Prime Minister and Cabinet, that are more to the liking of Britain and the US, and which can be more easily manipulated. It has aimed to deflect criticism away from its criminal activities against Iraq, to demonstrate that is has some concern about the so-called Middle East peace process, and to gain support amongst Arab countries in particular.

Now in the midst of the war against Iraq the government has again launched a propaganda offensive following questions in Parliament relating to the Foreign Secretary’s recent meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister. However all that Jack Straw is able to announce is the fact that the so-called “roadmap for peace” drawn up by the US, Russia, the UN and the EU, which envisages a Palestinian state by 2005, will soon be published, once the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, forms a government.

The British government may well admit to its hypocrisy and double standards in relation to the rights of the Palestinians but this is only an attempt to mask its criminal activity in Iraq and a fig leaf for even greater hypocrisy and double-dealing in the future. The present war against Iraq and the government’s continued interference in the internal affairs of the Palestinians show that it remains one of the greatest enemies of the peoples of the Middle East.

On March 20, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque delivered a speech at the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, which was well received by the majority of delegations present, Prensa Latina reports. In a special report for Prensa Latina, reporter Roberto Molina said that the speech "represented, in the opinion of many delegates, observers and analysts, the voice and conscience of the people. The stunning truths on the dramatic changes in the world last year, threatening to destroy more than half a century of experiences and contribution from the UN and the multilateral system, and the undeniable danger posed to the humanity as the war with Iraq corroborates, touched the minds and hearts of most of the delegations attending. The long ovation accompanying the end of his speech and the many heads of delegation who approached Cuba's seat to shake hands could only be interpreted this way. Various delegates commented that they saw themselves represented in the speech, since it included the opinions they shared and which they too would proclaim in this and other international forums." TML is posting below the part of the speech dealing with the world situation and the war on Iraq.

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Madame Chairperson:

The world has changed dramatically over the last year. More than half a century of unquestionable experiences and contributions by the United Nations and the multilateral system established at the end of the Second World War are being subjected to an unjust and unnecessary humiliation and are heading for destruction.

We must be straightforward in such recognition: the Universal Declaration on Human Rights is at the risk of becoming dead letter precisely on the 55th anniversary of its proclamation. Let us recall that the farsighted writers of the text that heralded a milestone in the collective aspiration of building a world of freedom, justice and peace set forth in Article 28 the recognition of the right of each person to the establishment of a social and international order in which fundamental freedoms and human rights could be effectively exercised. Let us say it clearly: that order is non-existent at present and it would seem to be farther away with every passing day.

We will not insist this time on the issues that were traditionally the cause for our concerns. We will not talk today about the hypocrisy and the double standards that have been weighing down our work for years. We will not demand the profound reform and democratization in the functioning of this Commission. We will not even uphold today the right of each people to freely choose its own model of civil and political ordering and its own path towards economic and social development. We will not reiterate either the need to attach equal importance both to the defense of civil and political rights and to the promotion of the always-postponed economic, social and cultural rights. On this occasion, we are not going to pass judgment on how the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants on the planet see the fulfillment of rights contained in the Declaration, such as: "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights;" or "everyone is entitled to participate in the government of their country;" or "everyone is entitled to work;" or "everyone is entitled to education;" or "everyone is entitled to adequate living standards ensuring themselves and their family health and well-being, particularly food, dressing, housing, medical care and the necessary social services."

Although surprising, we are not going to use these minutes either to denounce the high-handed and disreputable attempt to concoct and forcefully impose a condemnation of Cuba on this Commission in order to continue justifying the genocidal blockade enforced against our people by successive U.S. administrations for over four decades.

Our priority today must be another: to save the United Nations Organization and its collective security mechanisms from collapse; to address the deliberate lack of respect for the principles enshrined in its Charter.

Madame Chairperson:

The illegal, unjust and unnecessary aggression against Iraq, a Third World country -- already ruthlessly unleashed despite the unanimous rejection of the public opinion around the world -- turns the right to self-determination and the sovereignty of the peoples into a simple mirage. After such war, a new world order will have emerged in which our old aspiration for the planet to be governed by the rule of law will have been overridden by the imposition of an order governed by the rule of the empire. Not even the old allies of NATO, which for years joined the United States during the Cold War, can now elude the threat of military aggression. Could we imagine that one day the United States was going to proclaim under law the right to even invade The Hague, in the centre of Europe, if any U.S. soldiers were taken to the International Criminal Court? Could we anticipate that not even the European Union -- as a wise and patient exercise of integration, visibly fragmented today -- was going to be able to curb the warmongering and hegemonic designs of the U.S. Government?

The implications of ongoing assaults on International Law, unprecedented statements and doctrines and the constant use of threats and military blackmail, as seen over the last year, are yet to be fully fathomed. A whole planet has become hostage to the whimsical decisions of an unbridled power that disregards any international commitments and acts only in conformity with its own interests and unique concept of national security. We are heading towards a new world order in which harmonization is replaced with threat and persuasion with fear. That is, Madame Chairperson, our dilemma and our challenge: to jointly face a peril menacing us all.

Now, we could ask ourselves: are there any reasons for optimism? Cuba firmly believes that there is a powerful reason to feel optimistic: in the history of mankind, great crises have always paved the way for great solutions. No tyranny or empire with hegemonic designs has managed to prevail all the time over the aspirations of justice and freedom of the peoples. It is true that on many occasions the fear of facing the mighty, discouragement and apathy, or the lack of unity, have increased the price of victory. Therefore, today, when it is still not too late, I repeat with all due respect the words that on Cuba's behalf I expressed to the Commission last year: "Cuba considers that despite political differences among ourselves, there is, however, a common danger facing us all: the attempt to impose a world dictatorship at the service of the mighty superpower, which has clearly stated that you are either with it or against it."

Back then, the dangerous policies and actions of the current U.S. administration were not that callously revealed -- and my words could have been perceived by some as inflammatory rhetoric. Nevertheless -- and unfortunately -- the most recent events have just confirmed them. It is for that reason that I strongly and convincingly reiterate the appeal we made last year:

"Do not the countries in the West -- which up until yesterday were allies of the United States in a bipolar world but today are victims as are we of this dangerous and unsustainable order it is trying to impose -- think that the time has come to defend our rights together? Why not try to form a new alliance for a future of peace, security and justice for all? Why not try to form a coalition that will once again proclaim on its flag the aspiration of freedom, equality and brotherhood for all peoples? [...] Why not think that a better world is possible?"

Cuba believes that the work of this Commission must go from the futile confrontation between the North and the South to the joint struggle for a world of peace, justice and equality -- whose existence is currently endangered not only for the countries in the South but also for those in the North.

We are not alone -- and we are also the majority. We count as well on the decisive support of ever-increasing sectors of the American people itself, of whose idealist and just feelings, once the truth is known, the Cuban people is aware. Are not the enormous mobilizations around the planet today really encouraging in opposition to an unnecessary and unjustifiable war against Iraq, as they also continue to oppose the imposition of a neo-liberal model in a globalized world that impoverishes our countries and prevents them from dreaming of development? Does not France's courageous position and that of other countries provide optimism for the possibility of a world governed by law and not by war?

In brief, distinguished Delegates, Cuba is appealing to collective reflection, so that we are not overcome by bewilderment and pessimism. Cuba appeals to all the members of the Commission to support the initiative that promotes a democratic and equitable international order, to support the initiative that proclaims the right of all peoples to peace. Cuba appeals to you to support the proclamation in this forum of the right to solidarity, of the need for a lasting and sustainable global solution to the problem of the foreign debt; to support the international implementation and application of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Cuba appeals to you to support the draft resolution advocating people's participation, equality, social justice and non-discrimination as essential foundations of democracy. In sum, Cuba invites you to build a new path in the work of this Commission, to redress the practice by a handful of countries of promoting resolutions of condemnation against underdeveloped countries on the basis of selective criteria and ideologized positions that have nothing to do with the cause of human rights.

Madame Chairperson:

The world needs peace badly in order to be able to focus all of its intelligence and resources on combating the real enemies of our species: famine, poverty, underdevelopment, the destruction of the environment, illiteracy, diseases, the ever-increasing marginalization currently subduing the overwhelming majority of the population on the planet.

Let us fight together to save the United Nations Organization, to save the principles of multilateralism, to lay the groundwork for the sensible work of this Commission.

Let us build a coalition for justice and peace. Let us harmonize our efforts, above differences currently overridden by a greater peril threatening us all, so that a better world is possible -- which, by the way, will not be given away to us. But our duty is to fight -- and fight we will.

Thank you very much.

To mark the first week of the war on Iraq, Tyneside Stop the War Coalition is organising a vigil on Thursday 27 March, 6.00pm, at the Monument, Grey Street, Newcastle. Following time for reflection, there will be a die-in at the entrance to Eldon Square to represent all the casualties of war.

The coalition strongly feels that even through war has started the need for an anti-war campaign remains just as strong as before. A spokesperson said:

"Every casualty of this war so far has been a tragedy, be they an Iraqi child or a British solider. This war is unlawful and unjustified and the sooner it can be stopped the better. We are already seeing a mass humanitarianism disaster in Iraq and the continuation of the nightly bombing campaigns can only make the situation worse. Our protest is to say that opposition against this war remains strong and committed and that we will continue to give a public voice to the people of this country who believe, as we do, that war is not the answer’

Tyneside Stop The War Coalition was formed in November 2001. It is a broad coalition of people from many different backgrounds including churches, the peace movement, political parties and people who have never been active in any campaigning work before. It has oganised many events in Newcastle and the area since it’s formation and meets weekly to decide and plan for future action.

The US military has been forced to admit the 8,000 Iraqi soldiers they claimed to have captured last week are now battling British forces.

Iraq's 51st Infantry Division, which has about 200 tanks, is now engaged in the southern city of Basra.

The Pentagon is claiming the confusion is the work of the Fedayeen Saddam - Saddam Hussein's most trusted paramilitary unit.

The US is accusing it of organising the tactic of posing as civilians and faking surrenders.

Defence Department officials reported on Friday that they had won the surrender of the entire 51st Division, a regular Iraqi army unit deployed in southern Iraq to defend Basra, the nation's second largest city.

On Saturday, officials backtracked, saying they had only taken a couple of commanders and the rest of the men had "melted away" - a term used for those who laid down their arms and returned home.

On Monday there were reports that one of the "commanders" turned out to be a junior official who misrepresented his rank in hopes of getting better treatment.

Then on Tuesday, British forces reported a tank battle with elements of the 51st outside of Basra. Asked about the confusion, the Pentagon said the division's equipment was taken over by the Fedayeen and possibly members of Saddam's Republican Guard, his best-trained troops.

"Some of their equipment may have been used by the Fedayeen perhaps, or other folks that Fedayeen brought with them," a Pentagon spokesman said.

"I mean, supposedly there were some, maybe perhaps a Republican Guard members who changed to civilian clothes and came south. But I have seen no reliable evidence yet - and it may be because we haven't seen it yet - that the 51st is reconstituted."