News Of The Day, Late Edition
President Bush said today that a report from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who traveled to Baghdad last week, shows that the Iraqi leaders are “more determined than ever to succeed.” But despite this announcement, Bush added that there would be “more tough days ahead.”
Iran’s Ambassador to the U.N., Muhammad Javad Zarif, told Kofi Anon today to stop the U.S. from “impudently threatening Iran with use of force,” which he claimed were violations of international law. Zarif cited President Bush’s statement that “all options are on the table,” when asked about the possible use of nuclear arms against Iran.
Bolivia’s President Evo Morales began putting the country’s oil industry under state control today, setting a six-month deadline for foreign oil companies to begin channeling their sales through the government. The move follows years of difficulties over how to manage its natural gas resources, which are the second largest in South America.
Schools and many public services were shut down in Puerto Rico today after the penniless commonwealth’s government failed to pass a bill that would allow the country to receive a bailout loan. The governor said that a political deadlock forced 90,000 public workers to take leave without pay.
"Iran’s Ambassador to the U.N., Muhammad Javad Zarif, told Kofi Anon today to stop the U.S. from “impudently threatening Iran with use of force,” which he claimed were violations of international law. Zarif cited President Bush’s statement that “all options are on the table,” when asked about the possible use of nuclear arms against Iran."
He's correct, I believe. From what I've read, it is illegal under the NPT to threaten the use of force against a signatory over nuclear issues without UN authorization.
The Preamble states the following:
"Recalling that, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, States must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations, and that the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security are to be promoted with the least diversion for armaments of the worlds human and economic resources,"
According to Wikipedia:
"In Article I, the Nuclear Weapon States declare not to "induce any non-nuclear-weapon State to ... acquire nuclear weapons." A preemptive-strike doctrine and otherwise threatening postures can be viewed as induction by non-NWS parties. Article X states that any state can withdraw from the treaty if they feel that "extraordinary events", for example a perceived threat, force them to do so."
May 1, 2006 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink