Iraq - Appeal to the governments of China, France, Russia and the UK

Letters to the Permanent Representatives to the UN in Geneva, 19 September 2002.

Dear Sirs,

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Geneva in early September, 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 that statement.

I draw your attention especially to the statement's call to the "international community to uphold the international rule of law, to resist pressures to join in preemptive military strikes against a sovereign state under the pretext of the ‘war on terrorism,' and to strengthen their commitment to obtain respect for United Nations Security Council resolutions on Iraq by non-military means."

Our prayers are with you as you seek to maintain the international rule of law and to avert the dangers of military action in an already-troubled region. As you intensify those efforts to promote all necessary diplomatic initiatives, we assure you of our highest consideration and our support and prayers for efforts for peace.

                                                                           Respectfully yours,

                                                                                                             Peter Weiderud
                                                                                                             Director
                                                                                                             Commission of the Churches on
                                                                                                             International Affairs