Venezuelan Government Position on the 
War Against Iraq 

LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES 30mar03

After many efforts conducted in the security Council of the United Nations to reach a consensus resolution with regards to the disarmament of Iraq, the governments of United states, United Kingdom and Spain have initiated a military action that has been supported by a reduced number of governments. This is the most complex scene in the present international relations context because of its incalculable repercussions on the political, strategic, economical, social and environmental implications, as well as for its impact on the international political system, the energy market and the future of the OPEC.

The rejection of the military intervention by the majority of the international community has been expressed in various forms and degrees. So, from his holiness Pope John Paul II, the Secretary General of the United Nations , the majority of the member countries of the UN, the European Union, the Non aligned movement and the Arab League, just to mention a few, have deplored these actions because of the risk that it represents for world peace, the civilized coexistence of the peoples and in particular, the United Nations as the guarantor of world order.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, committed to peace and respectful of the principles of international public law, has joined all those who wish peace in the world; has expressed the need that the charter of the United Nations, human rights as well as the sovereignty of the peoples be respected, and that diplomatic means such as dialogue, understanding and conciliation be used to solve conflicts among governments.

In this regard we point out the following criteria that sustains the position of the National government in regards to the armed conflict against Iraq and which have been expressed recently by the president of the republic, the executive vice president and the Foreign affairs minister:

• We advocate world peace.
• We express our solidarity with individual and massive expressions around the world in rejection of the war.
• We uphold the respect for the principles of international public law.
• We advocate the peaceful solution of international conflicts.
• We call for the immediate end of this conflict and the respect of the preservation of the territorial integrity of Iraq.
• We demand that humanitarian aid be guaranteed and made available to help the people of Iraq.
• We support the relevance of OPEC and the need to strengthen the Organization; at the same time we make a call on the organization to promote solidarity with and support the Iraqi people that are victims of the war

source: http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=1937&level_id=219# 7apr03