[Northampton-GP] Greens Endorse Uniting for Peace Resolution for post war Iraq

[Tim Carpenter]

> THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
> 
> MEDIA RELEASE
> For immediate release:
> Wednesday, May 21, 2003
> 
> Contacts:
> Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576,
> nallen at acadia.net
> Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
> scottmclarty at yahoo.com
> 
> 
> GREENS ENDORSE THE 'UNITING FOR PEACE' RESOLUTION
> ON POSTWAR IRAQ
> 
> Joining the Uniting for Peace Coalition, U.S.
> Greens call for the U.S. to withdraw from Iraq
> and urge the U.N. to play the central role in
> restoring peace and security.
> 
> 
> WASHINGTON, D.C.-- The Green Party of the United
> States has endorsed an international petition to
> the United Nations calling on the Security
> Council to insist that the central authority and
> responsibility for restoring peace and security
> in Iraq rest with the United Nations as
> stipulated by its Charter. The Uniting for Peace
> Coalition's petition, which many individual
> Greens have already signed, can be read at
> <http://www.uniting-for-peace-net>.
> 
> Objecting to the draft petition by the U.S., U.K.
> and Spain currently before the Security Council,
> the Uniting for Peace Coalition calls on the
> Security Council to approve an alternate
> resolution that would give the U.N. primary
> authority in Iraq over humanitarian relief,
> Iraq's reconstruction, and the formation of a new
> government.
> 
> "The petition recognizes that the Security
> Council, subject to the U.S.'s veto power, is
> unlikely to adopt a resolution based on measures
> to restore peace and security contained in the
> petition and in support of the U.N. Charter and
> international law," said Jason Crane, chair of
> the Green Party of Monroe County, New York.  "But
> the member states of the U.N. may convene an
> Emergency Meeting of the General Assembly, under
> the provisions of General Assembly Resolution
> 377, 'Uniting for Peace' to authorize actions for
> peace and security."
> 
> Such measures include immediate withdrawal of
> occupying forces and deployment of U.N.
> Peacekeepers; U.N. coordination of humanitarian
> relief services; the return of U.N. weapons
> inspectors; and establishment of a legitimate
> Iraqi government with equitable participation of
> women in compliance with Security Council
> Resolution 1325 (2000).  The petition also calls
> for reparations to the Iraqi people for damages
> cause by the unlawful use of force and for the
> U.N. to ensure the removal of depleted uranium,
> cluster bombs, and un-detonated munitions.
> 
> "Through the Uniting for Peace Coalition, we are
> speaking for millions of people in the U.S. and
> around the world who protested the invasion of
> Iraq as a violation of the U.N. Charter and a
> transparent attempt to secure control of Iraq's
> vast oil resources," said Ben Manski, co-chair of
> the Green Party of the United States.  "While our
> immediate concern now is for the people of Iraq,
> we also seek to restore the central role of the
> U.N. and international law in resolving future
> conflicts peacefully."
> 
> Greens are especially concerned that military
> aggression in Iraq not be rewarded.  The petition
> urges the U.N. to prohibit the invading powers
> and their corporations from profiting from this
> war.
> 
> "We want the U.N. to confirm the Nuremburg
> principle that 'preventive' and 'preemptive' war
> as practiced by the U.S. and its allies is a
> violation of international law, as embodied in
> the U.N.'s Charter and principles" said Annie
> Goeke, co-chair of the party's International
> Committee.  "Without such clear affirmation, we
> will be thrust back into the nineteenth century
> world of endless national conquest in service of
> 'strategic interests.'"
> 
> This petition urges the U.N. to make the Middle
> East a "zone of peace," free of all weapons of
> mass destruction and foreign occupation.  This
> language is an implicit reference to US ally
> Israel's possession of biological, chemical and
> nuclear weapons and occupation of Palestinian
> land, as well as to the recent US occupation of
> Iraq.
> 
> In addition to Green Party of the United States,
> the Uniting for Peace Coalition includes
> international N.G.O.s, the Center for
> Constitutional Law, Greenpeace, the Institute for
> Policy Study, and numerous human rights and peace
> groups.
> 
> 
> MORE INFORMATION
> 
> The Green Party of the United States
> http://www.gp.org
> National office: 1314 18th Street, NW
> Washington, DC 20036
> 202-296-7755, 866-41GREEN
> 
> Uniting for Peace Coalition
> http://www.uniting-for-peace.net
> 
THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
 
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release:
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
 
Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576,
nallen at acadia.net
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
scottmclarty at yahoo.com
 
 
GREENS ENDORSE THE 'UNITING FOR PEACE' RESOLUTION
ON POSTWAR IRAQ
 
Joining the Uniting for Peace Coalition, U.S.
Greens call for the U.S. to withdraw from Iraq
and urge the U.N. to play the central role in
restoring peace and security.
 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- The Green Party of the United
States has endorsed an international petition to
the United Nations calling on the Security
Council to insist that the central authority and
responsibility for restoring peace and security
in Iraq rest with the United Nations as
stipulated by its Charter. The Uniting for Peace
Coalition's petition, which many individual
Greens have already signed, can be read at
<http://www.uniting-for-peace-net>.
 
Objecting to the draft petition by the U.S., U.K.
and Spain currently before the Security Council,
the Uniting for Peace Coalition calls on the
Security Council to approve an alternate
resolution that would give the U.N. primary
authority in Iraq over humanitarian relief,
Iraq's reconstruction, and the formation of a new
government.
 
"The petition recognizes that the Security
Council, subject to the U.S.'s veto power, is
unlikely to adopt a resolution based on measures
to restore peace and security contained in the
petition and in support of the U.N. Charter and
international law," said Jason Crane, chair of
the Green Party of Monroe County, New York.  "But
the member states of the U.N. may convene an
Emergency Meeting of the General Assembly, under
the provisions of General Assembly Resolution
377, 'Uniting for Peace' to authorize actions for
peace and security."
 
Such measures include immediate withdrawal of
occupying forces and deployment of U.N.
Peacekeepers; U.N. coordination of humanitarian
relief services; the return of U.N. weapons
inspectors; and establishment of a legitimate
Iraqi government with equitable participation of
women in compliance with Security Council
Resolution 1325 (2000).  The petition also calls
for reparations to the Iraqi people for damages
cause by the unlawful use of force and for the
U.N. to ensure the removal of depleted uranium,
cluster bombs, and un-detonated munitions.
 
"Through the Uniting for Peace Coalition, we are
speaking for millions of people in the U.S. and
around the world who protested the invasion of
Iraq as a violation of the U.N. Charter and a
transparent attempt to secure control of Iraq's
vast oil resources," said Ben Manski, co-chair of
the Green Party of the United States.  "While our
immediate concern now is for the people of Iraq,
we also seek to restore the central role of the
U.N. and international law in resolving future
conflicts peacefully."
 
Greens are especially concerned that military
aggression in Iraq not be rewarded.  The petition
urges the U.N. to prohibit the invading powers
and their corporations from profiting from this
war.
 
"We want the U.N. to confirm the Nuremburg
principle that 'preventive' and 'preemptive' war
as practiced by the U.S. and its allies is a
violation of international law, as embodied in
the U.N.'s Charter and principles" said Annie
Goeke, co-chair of the party's International
Committee.  "Without such clear affirmation, we
will be thrust back into the nineteenth century
world of endless national conquest in service of
'strategic interests.'"
 
This petition urges the U.N. to make the Middle
East a "zone of peace," free of all weapons of
mass destruction and foreign occupation.  This
language is an implicit reference to US ally
Israel's possession of biological, chemical and
nuclear weapons and occupation of Palestinian
land, as well as to the recent US occupation of
Iraq.
 
In addition to Green Party of the United States,
the Uniting for Peace Coalition includes
international N.G.O.s, the Center for
Constitutional Law, Greenpeace, the Institute for
Policy Study, and numerous human rights and peace
groups.
 
 
MORE INFORMATION
 
The Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
National office: 1314 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-296-7755, 866-41GREEN
 
Uniting for Peace Coalition
http://www.uniting-for-peace.net