Straw urges sensibility in solution for Iraq crisis
Straw urges sensibility in solution for Iraq crisis
Agence France-Presse, Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur
Active diplomacy backed by credible military force is the only way to create a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in Jakarta Friday.
Speaking after talks with Vice President Hamzah Haz on the last day of his visit here, Straw said Britain wished "to see the crisis created by Iraq resolved peacefully".
"But we know that it can only be resolved peacefully by decisions made principally by Saddam Hussein and that he is only likely to make sensible decisions if our active diplomacy is backed a credible threat of force," the foreign secretary said, shortly before leaving Jakarta.
Straw was commenting on reports that Britain has urged the United States to delay war against Iraq for several months, possibly until autumn, to give UN inspectors more time to provide evidence of arms violations by Baghdad.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has said it supports the presence of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq but considers any unilateral action against Baghdad to be unacceptable.
Straw flew to Kuala Lumpur later on Friday -- the last stop on a tour designed to sound out Southeast Asian leaders on Iraq, terrorism and North Korea's nuclear program.
Malaysia is due to take over the chairmanship of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) this year.
Malaysia Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said after meeting Straw that Malaysia was "very happy with the reassurance that while they are making preparations, war is not inevitable."
"They just want to see some compliance with the (UN) resolutions (that Iraq must disarm).
"We see Britain is taking a more balanced view while the Americans take a very strong view, hawkish about the issue.
"Britain believes in a two-step process -- that if there is a war there must be another resolution (first) in the UN Security Council," Syed Hamid said.
Asked whether Malaysia would support a war sanctioned by the Security Council, Syed Hamid refused to make a commitment either way.
"We will see when it comes," he said.