UNSC offers unanimous backing for U.S. strikes

UNSC offers unanimous backing for U.S. strikes

Michel Leclerq, Agence France-Presse, United Nations

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has offered unanimous support to the U.S. and British military strikes against Afghanistan, said Council president Richard Ryan.

The Irish ambassador, who leads the council this month, told reporters late on Monday that unanimity was "absolutely maintained" with regard to the U.S. retaliation to the Sept. 11 terror attacks that left around 5,500 people dead or missing.

France's ambassador Jean-David Levitte echoed Ryan's remarks, noting the "extraordinary unity" continued.

Ryan's remarks came after U.S. and British ambassadors John Negroponte and Jeremy Greenstock went into closed-door sessions to inform the 13 other security council members of the nature of the military operation against Kabul and Kandahar that began late Sunday and appeared to continue Tuesday.

Among the targets said to have been destroyed by the missile strikes were training camps operated by the terrorist Al-Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born Islamist militant who is the prime suspect in the attacks, as well as military installations of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia.

"We continue to enjoy strong understanding of the actions we have taken and clear understanding that we are acting in our inherent right of self-defense," Negroponte said. "I think this has been understood and anticipated all along."

The United States has warned the Council it could take "further actions" against other countries in its war on terrorism and invoked the right of self-defense to justify its military riposte in Afghanistan.

"We may find that our self-defense requires further actions with respect to other organizations and other states," the United States said in a letter sent on Sunday by the U.S.-British coalition to announce the raids.

When pressed by reporters what those "further actions" could be, Negroponte said simply: "We reserved the right to exercise our right to self-defense in the future if we thought that was necessary," noting no member of the Council raised the same concern.

Greenstock handed the council a 10-page document, mentioned last Thursday in a speech by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, listing the proof implicating bin Laden in last month's attacks.

China and Tunisia, Bangladesh and Mali -- the three Muslim or Arab countries represented on the Council -- offered thanks to the U.S. and British delegates for their information, particularly for the assurances that any strikes would avoid civilian targets and focus directly on the terrorists and the Taliban.

Other diplomats stressed that the unanimous support given the operations by the Council was unexpected, as many foresaw that the apparent consensus for retaliation would fizzle with the first shells blasted at the beleaguered Central Asian nation.

Ryan anticipated the Council would meet on Tuesday to discuss further humanitarian aide for Afghanistan.