Appeal to Iraq to respect the resolutions of the UN Security Council

Letter to H.E. Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq, 19 September 2002.

Your Excellency,

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Geneva in early September 2002, adopted a statement on the threats of military action against Iraq which expresses "concern and alarm about the efforts of the US government to gather international support for a new military action against Iraq." I am attaching a copy of the statement for your consideration.

I draw your attention especially to the statements calling upon the Iraqi government "to respect the resolutions of the UN Security Council, including demands that it destroy all weapons of mass destruction and related research and production facilities, to cooperate fully with UN inspectors deployed to oversee compliance, and to guarantee full respect of the civil and political, economic, social and cultural human rights for all its citizens."

Please be assured of our on-going concern for the people of Iraq and for our prayers for peace.

                                                              Respectfully yours,

                                                                                              Peter Weiderud
                                                                                              Director
                                                                                              Commission of the Churches on
                                                                                              International Affairs