Years of UN peacekeeping efforts
Student’s Scientific Society «Integral»
ESSAY: YEARS OF UN PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS
Section: English Language
Author: Sokolova Olga, School #5, Form 11A
Supervisor: Gorina Elena Vasilievna
English
Teacher, 1st category,
School
#5 with extensive English learning
N. Tagil
1998
CONTENTS
1.
Introduction 2
2.
Origin
of the UNO 3
3.
The
way UN works 4
3.1
Main
bodies 4
3.2
Security
Council activity 6
4.
UN
activity 8
4.1
UN
peacekeeping missions 8
4.2
UN and
human rights 12
4.3
UN
humanitarian assistance to developing countries 14
5.
Disarmament 15
5.1
UN
activity in the sphere of disarmament 15
5.2
The
problem of Iraqi military arsenal 16
5.2.1 Iraq/Kuwait conflict 17
5.2.2. UNIKOM Establishment 18
5.2.3. Blitzkrieg 20
6.
Conclusion 23
7.
References 24
8.
Appendixes 25
I.
INTRODUCTION
Most people are familiar with the work of the United Nations in
peacekeeping or in delivering humanitarian assistance to a far-off country. But
the many ways in which the UN has a direct impact on all our lives, everywhere
in the world, is not always so well-known.
Now that world mass media reflect the news about the UNO in detail,
it is very challenging to know different points of view, and I took an interest
in this problem. I heard about UN activity but didn’t reach the main point,
like the majority of my coevals, who are familiar with the events that concern
the UNO but don’t fully understand the essence of them. UN activity in
preserving peace has attracted me most of all. The arms race, disputes between
nations, wars, military conflicts have turned into the real danger to the
mankind. I think that people must stop killing each other and end this
violence. I’ve chosen the UN peacekeeping missions and especially in Iraq as a
specific example of UN’s work. It is very urgent nowadays.
II. ORIGIN OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
Day in,
day out, the UN and its family of organizations work together and individually
to protect human rights; promote the protection of the environment; help the
advancement of women and the rights of children; fight epidemics, famine,
poverty. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees and help
improve telecommunication; deliver food aid and protect consumers; combat
disease and help expand food production; make loans to developing countries and
help stabilize financial markets. UN agencies define the standards for safe and
efficient transport by air and sea, work to ensure respect for intellectual
property rights and coordinate allocation of radio frequencies. The UN's work
has a long-term impact on the quality of our lives.
The name "United Nations" was devised by United States
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was first used in the "Declaration by
United Nations" of January 1, 1942, during the Second World War, when
representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting
together against the Axis Powers.
The United Nations Charter was drawn up by the representatives of 50
countries at the United Nations Conference on International Organization, which
met at San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945. Those delegates
deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of
China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States at Dumbarton
Oaks in August-October 1944. The Charter was signed on June 26, 1945 by the representatives
of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference,
signed it later and became one of the original 51 Member States.
The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24,
1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union,
the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. United
Nations Day is celebrated on October 24 each year.
III.
THE WAY UN WORKS
The United Nations is an organization of sovereign nations. It
provides the machinery to help find solutions to international problems or
disputes, and to deal with pressing concerns that face people everywhere.
It does not legislate like a national parliament. But in the meeting
rooms and corridors of the UN, representatives of almost all countries of the
world -large and small, rich and poor, with varying political views and social
systems -have a voice and vote in shaping the policies of the international
community.
The UN has six main bodies listed below. All are based at UN
Headquarters in New York, except the International Court of Justice, which is
located at the Hague, Netherlands.
In addition, 14 specialized agencies, working in areas as diverse as
health, finance, agriculture, civil aviation and telecommunications, are linked
together through the Economic and Social Council. The UN and its specialized
agencies constitute the UN system. Main bodies of the UN are: the General Assembly, Security
Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the
International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
3.1
Main Bodies
The General Assembly
The General Assembly, sometimes called the nearest thing to a world
parliament, is the main deliberative body. All 185 Member States are
represented in it, and each has one vote. Decisions on ordinary matters are
taken by simple majority. Important questions require a two-thirds majority.
The Assembly holds its regular sessions from mid-September to
mid-December. Special or emergency sessions are held when necessary. When the
Assembly is not in session, its work goes on in special committees and bodies.
The Assembly has the right to discuss and make recommendations on
all matters within the scope of the UN Charter - the Organization's founding
document. It has no power to compel action by any Government, but its
recommendations carry the weight of world opinion. The Assembly also sets
policies and determines programs for the UN Secretariat, directs activities for
development, and approves the UN budget, including peacekeeping operations.
Occupying a central position in the UN, the Assembly receives reports from
other organs, admits new Members and appoints the UN Secretary - General.
The Economic and Social Council
Working under the authority of the General Assembly, the Economic
and Social Council coordinates the economic and social work of the UN and
related specialized agencies and institutions. The Council has 54 members, and
meets for a one-month session each year, alternating between New York and
Geneva. The session includes a special meeting at the level of ministers to
discuss major economic and social issues.
The Council oversees UN activities and policies promoting economic
growth in developing countries, administering development projects, promoting
the observance of human rights, and fostering international cooperation in
areas such as housing, family planning, environmental protection and crime
prevention.
The Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council was established to ensure that Governments
responsible for administering trust territories take adequate steps to prepare
them for self-government or independence. The task of the Trusteeship System
was completed in 1994, when the Security Council terminated the Trusteeship
Agreement for the last of the original 11 UN Trusteeships - the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands (Palau), administered by the United States. All Trust
Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate
States or by joining neighbouring independent countries. The Trusteeship
Council will now meet as and where circumstances so demand.
The International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court)
is the main judicial organ of the UN, settling legal disputes between member
states and giving advisory opinions to the UN and its agencies. It consists of
15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. Only
countries may be parties in cases brought before the Court. If a country does
not wish to take part in a proceeding, it does not have to do so (unless
required by special treaty provisions), but if it accepts, it is obligated to
comply with the Court's decision.
The Secretariat
The Secretariat works for the other five organs of the UN and
administers their programs. With a staff of some 8,900 under the regular
budget, working at headquarters and all over the world, it carries out the
day-to-day work of the UN. At its head is the Secretary - General.
He plays a central role in peacemaking, both personally and through
special envoys. The Secretary - General may bring to the attention of the
Security Council any matter which appears to threaten international peace and
security. To help resolve disputes, the Secretary - General may use "good
offices" to carry out mediation, or exercise "quiet diplomacy"
behind the scenes. The Secretary - General also conducts "preventive
diplomacy" to help resolve disputes before they escalate.
In many instances, the Secretary -
General has been instrumental in securing a peace agreement or in averting a
threat to peace. The current secretary general is Kofi Annan, who succeeded Boutros
Boutros Ghali in 1997 (see appendix C).
Staff members are drawn from some 170
countries.
3.2 Security Council Activity
The Security Council has primary
responsibility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace
and security. It is so organized as to be able to function continuously, and a
representative of each of its members must be present at all times at United
Nations Headquarters.
When a complaint concerning a threat
to peace is brought before it, the Council's first action is usually to
recommend to the parties to try to reach agreement by peaceful means. In some
cases, the Council itself undertakes investigation and mediation. It may
appoint special representatives or request the Secretary - General to do so or
to use his good offices. It may set forth principles for a peaceful settlement.
When a dispute leads to fighting, the
Council's first concern is to bring it to an end as soon as possible. It also
sends United Nations peace-keeping forces to help reduce tensions in troubled
areas, keep opposing forces apart and create conditions of calm in which
peaceful settlements may be sought. The Council may decide on enforcement
measures, economic sanctions (such as trade embargoes) or collective military
action.
A member
state against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the
Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and
privileges of membership by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the
Security Council. A member state which has persistently violated the principles
of the Charter may be expelled from the United Nations by the Assembly on the
Council's recommendation.
The presidency of the Council rotates
monthly, according to the English alphabetical listing of its member states
(see appendix D).
The Council has 15 members - five permanent
members and 10 elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term.
The following countries ended their two-year
membership term on December 31, 1997:
·
Chile
·
Egypt
·
Guinea-Bissau
·
Poland
Each Council member has one vote. Decisions
on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the
15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the
concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of "great
power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power.
Under the Charter, all Members of the United
Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council.
While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments,
the Council alone has the power to take decisions which member states are
obligated under the Charter to carry out.
Under the Charter, the functions and powers
of the Security Council are:
·
to maintain international peace and security in
accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
·
to investigate any dispute or situation which
might lead to international friction;
·
to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes
or the terms of settlement;
·
to formulate plans for the establishment of a
threat to peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be
taken;
·
to call on Members to apply economic sanctions
and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop
aggression;
·
to take military action against an aggressor;
·
to recommend the admission of new members and
the terms on which states may become parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice;
·
to exercise the trusteeship functions of the
United Nations in "strategic areas":
·
to recommend to the General Assembly
the appointment of the Secretary - General and,
together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court.
IV. UN ACTIVITY
4.1 UN Peace-Keeping Missions
United Nations peacekeepers, wearing
distinctive UN blue helmets or berets, are dispatched by the Security Council
to help implement peace agreements, monitor cease-fires, patrol demilitarized
zones, create buffer zones between opposing forces, and put fighting on hold
while negotiators seek peaceful solutions to disputes. But ultimately, the
success of peacekeeping depends on the consent and cooperation of the opposing
parties.
The UN does not have an army. For
each peacekeeping mission, member states voluntarily provide troops and
equipment, for which they are compensated from a special peacekeeping budget.
Police officers, election observers, human rights monitors and other civilians
sometimes work alongside military personnel in peacekeeping operations. Lightly
armed for self-defense — and often unarmed — peacekeepers’ strongest “weapon”
is their impartiality. They rely on persuasion and minimal use of force to
defuse tensions and prevent fighting. It is dangerous business; approximately
1,500 UN peacekeepers have died in the performance of their duties since 1945.
Rank-and-file soldiers on
peacekeeping missions do not swear allegiance to the United Nations.
Governments that volunteer personnel carefully negotiate the terms of their
participation — including command and control arrangements. They retain
ultimate authority over their own military forces serving under the UN flag,
including disciplinary and personnel matters, and may withdraw their troops if
they wish. Peacekeeping soldiers wear their own national uniforms. To identify
themselves as peace-keepers, they also wear blue berets or helmets and the UN insignia.
The cost of UN peacekeeping personnel
and equipment peaked at about $3 billion in 1995, reflecting the expense of
operations in the former Yugoslavia. Peacekeeping costs fell in 1996 and 1997,
to $1.4 billion and some $1.3 billion, respectively — and estimated budgetary
requirements for 1998 are expected to drop to under $1 billion.
All Member States are obligated to
pay their share of peacekeeping costs under a formula that they themselves have
agreed upon. But as of 15 March 1998, member states owed the UN $1.7 billion in
current and back peacekeeping dues. The United States is by far the largest
debtor, owing $958 million.
Since 1945, there have been 48 United
Nations peacekeeping operations. There are currently 16 under way. Thirty-five
peacekeeping operations were created by the Security Council in the years
between 1988 — when UN peacekeeping operations were awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize — and June 1998:
…in Africa
In Angola, UN mediation led to the 1994 peace accord and to the
installation of a government of national unity in 1997, formally uniting a
country devastated by 20 years of civil war. A UN operation is in place to help
put the peace accord into effect. The UN also continues to provide humanitarian
assistance to the Angolan people.
In Somalia, after the outbreak of civil war in 1991, the UN brought
relief to millions facing starvation and helped to stop the large-scale
killings. From 1992 to 1995, two UN operations sought to restore order, protect
delivery of humanitarian relief, promote reconciliation and help
reconstruction. Under difficult conditions, various UN agencies continue to
provide humanitarian assistance.
The UN helped secure peace in Mozambique. The UN Operation in
Mozambique (ONUMOZ) was deployed in the country in 1992 to help put into effect
the peace agreement between the Government and the Mozambican National
Resistance. ONUMOZ monitored the cease-fire, verified the demobilization of
combatants, coordinated humanitarian aid and observed in 1994 the country's
first multi-party elections, which led to the peaceful installation of a new
Government. Today, the World Bank, the UN Development Program and other parts
of the UN family are working with the Government to help forge the economic and
social progress needed to underpin the democratic process.
…in Asia
The UN helped end the 12-year conflict in Cambodia and organized the
1993 elections that led to the installation of a new Government. Earlier, the
Secretary - General had used his "good offices" in the search for
peace, helping to mediate the 1991 peace accord. The UN Transitional Authority
in Cambodia was then deployed to supervise the cease-fire between the parties,
disarm combatants, repatriate refugees, and organize and conduct the elections.
In Afghanistan, mediation by a UN envoy led to the 1988 agreements
between Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union and the United States aimed at
ending the conflict. To help put the agreements into effect, the UN deployed an
observer mission, which also verified Soviet troop withdrawal. The Secretary -
General and his envoys have continued to work for a peaceful settlement of the
continuing civil war. UN agencies provide assistance to the some 2.3 million
Afghan refugees.
...in the Americas
The UN has helped resolve protracted conflicts in Central America.
In Guatemala, UN-assisted negotiations resulted in the 1996 peace accord,
ending a 35-year conflict during which over 100,000 people were killed. The UN
began supervising talks between the Government and the Guatemalan National
Revolutionary Unity in 1991. In 1994, two agreements opened the way to a
settlement of the conflict, and led to the deployment of the UN Mission for the
Verification of Human Rights in Guatemala. The Mission has remained in the
country to help put into effect the peace accord.
In 1990, the UN observed the first democratic elections in Haiti.
After a military coup in 1991 forced the President into exile, the UN mediated
an agreement for the return to democracy. As Haiti's military leaders did not
comply with the agreement, the Security Council authorized in 1994 the
formation of a multinational force to facilitate the leaders' departure. After
the landing of a United States - led multinational force, the exiled President
returned to Haiti in 1994. A UN peacekeeping force, which took over from the
multinational force in 1995, contributes to stability in the young democracy.
In El Salvador, the Secretary - General assisted in peace talks between
the Government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN).
His mediation led to the 1992 peace agreement between the Government and FMLN,
which ended the 12-year conflict. A UN Observer Mission monitored all
agreements concluded between the parties and observed the 1994 elections.
A UN mission deployed between 1989 and 1992 contributed to ending
the fighting in Nicaragua. It helped demobilize some 22,000 members of the
Nicaraguan resistance (also known as "contras"), who in 1990 turned
in their weapons to the UN. Another mission observed the 1990 elections - the
first UN-observed elections in an independent country.
Throughout Central America, UN specialized agencies and programs are
working hand in hand to ensure that refugees are safely repatriated and
provided with the tools to start over. They also provide training for civil
servants, police, human rights monitors and legal professionals to promote good
governance and the rule of law.
...in Europe
Following the 1995 Dayton-Paris peace agreements, four UN missions
were deployed to help secure the peace in the former Yugoslavia. The largest of
them, the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slovenia, was established
to govern this area and help reintegrate it into Croatia.
From 1991, the UN worked strenuously to resolve the conflict,
providing at the same time relief assistance to some 4 million people. To help
restore peace, the UN imposed an arms embargo in 1991, while the Secretary -
General and his envoy assisted in seeking solutions to the conflict. From 1992
to 1995, UN peacekeepers sought to bring peace and security to Croatia, helped
protect civilians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and helped ensure that the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was not drawn into the war.
UN agencies continue to provide humanitarian assistance to over 2
million people still suffering the effects of the conflict.
...in the Middle East
The Middle East has been a major concern of the UN. In 1948, the
first UN military observer group monitored the truce called for by the Security
Council during the first Arab-Israeli war. The first peacekeeping force was
also set up in the Middle East, during the 1956 Suez crisis; it oversaw troop
withdrawal and contributed to peace and stability.
Two peacekeeping forces are deployed in the region. The UN
Disengagement Observer Force, established in 1974, maintains an area of
separation on the Golan Heights between Israeli and Syrian troops. In southern
Lebanon, a UN Force established in 1978 contributes to stability and provides
protection to the population.
Hand in hand with peacekeeping, the UN has sought a lasting
settlement in the Middle East. Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338
(1973) set forth the principles for a just and lasting peace, and remain the
basis for an overall settlement. Following the 1993 landmark agreement between
Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, a UN Coordinator has been
overseeing all development assistance provided by the UN to the Palestinian
people in Gaza and the West Bank. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides essential health, education, relief
and social services to over 3 million registered Palestinian refugees.
Military peacekeepers are the most visible, but not the only, UN
peace presence in the field. UN envoys and other civilian personnel are engaged
in diplomacy, human rights monitoring and other peace efforts in scores of
regions threatened or afflicted by fighting often in the most difficult situations.
4.2
UN and Human Rights
The Charter goals of justice and equal rights, for individuals and
for peoples, have been pursued by the UN from its early days.
As one of its first tasks, the UN formulated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a
historic proclamation of the basic rights and freedoms to which all men and
women are entitled - the right to life, liberty and nationality, to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion, to work, to be educated, to take part in
government, and many other rights. The General Assembly adopted the Declaration
on 10 December 1948, a date commemorated every year as Human Rights Day.
Two International Covenants adopted in 1966 - one on economic,
social and cultural rights and the other on civil and political rights - have
expanded and made legally binding the rights set forth in the Declaration.
These three documents constitute the International Bill of Human Rights, a
standard and a goal for all countries and peoples.
The UN has also put in place mechanisms to further human rights. The
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights coordinates all the human rights
activities of the UN, seeks to prevent violations, investigates abuses and
works with Governments in resolving violations.
The UN Commission on Human Rights is the only intergovernmental body
that conducts public meetings on human rights abuses brought to its attention
and reviews the human rights performance of all Member States. Special
reporters of the Commission monitor the human rights problems in specific
countries.
UN missions are monitoring the human rights situation in Haiti,
Guatemala and Eastern Slovenia (Croatia).
The Security Council has established international tribunals to try
persons accused of war crimes during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and
in Rwanda. The tribunals have indicted several individuals and brought a number
of defendants to trial.
Self-determination and independence.
A fundamental right - self-determination, or the right of peoples to
govern themselves - was a goal when the Charter was signed. Today, it has
become a reality in most of the lands formerly under colonial rule.
In 1960, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the
Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, in which it
proclaimed the need to bring colonialism to a speedy end. Since then, some 60
former colonial Territories, inhabited by more than 80 million people, have
attained independence and joined the UN as sovereign Members.
Today, 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain, inhabited by some 2
million people. The Assembly has set the goal of ending colonialism by the year
2000, declaring the 1990s the International Decade for the Eradication of
Colonialism.
Namibia's independence
The UN helped bring about the independence of Namibia, achieved in
1990. The General Assembly in 1966 revoked South Africa's Mandate to administer
the territory - a decision South Africa rejected. Complex negotiations led in
1989 to the implementation of the 1978 UN plan for the independence of Namibia.
The UN Transition Assistance Group was deployed throughout Namibia to monitor
the withdrawal of South African troops, the registration of voters, and the
1989 elections, which led to the installation of the first independent
Government and to Namibia's independence.
Election assistance
To further democratization, the UN has also observed elections, at
Government request, in sovereign member states: in Nicaragua and Haiti (1990),
Angola (1992), El Salvador, South Africa and Mozambique (1994), as well as the
referendum on the independence of Eritrea (1993). In other instances - such as
Malawi, Lesotho and Armenia - the UN has coordinated international observers
provided by member states.
Observers typically follow the preparation and holding of the
election; on election day, they are deployed to polling stations throughout the
country, observe voting and vote counting, and issue a final statement on the
conduct of the election.
Since 1992, the UN has provided technical assistance in the
preparation and holding of elections to over 70 countries. Such assistance,
which may involve coordination and support, advisory services and short-term
observation, is instrumental in building the capacity of countries to run their
elections in the future.
Apartheid.
Apartheid applies to all aspects of life. Socially, blacks had to
live apart from the other races. Politically, they could not vote.
Economically, they could work only in the lowest paying occupations.
The UN helped to bring an end in 1994 to South Africa's apartheid
(racial segregation) system. For more than three decades, the UN carried out a
sustained campaign against apartheid. The campaign, which ranged from an arms
embargo to a convention against segregated sports events, helped to bring about
a democratically elected Government in 1994, through elections in which, for
the first time, all South Africans could vote. The UN Observer Mission in South
Africa assisted in the transition and observed the election. With the
installation of a non-racial and democratic government, the apartheid system
came to an end.
International law.
The UN has made major contributions towards expanding the rule of
law among nations through its development and codification of international
law. The International Court of Justice has assisted countries in solving
important legal disputes and has issued advisory opinions on UN activities.
The UN has initiated hundreds of conventions and treaties covering
virtually all areas of international law - from international trade to
environmental protection. Action has been particularly strong in human rights
law.
For instance, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women is the main international legal instrument to
further women's equality. The Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs is the key international treaty against drug trafficking. The Convention
on the Law of the Sea seeks to ensure equitable access by all countries to the
riches of the oceans, protect them from pollution and facilitate freedom of
navigation and research.
4.3
UN Humanitarian Assistance to Developing Countries
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is
responsible for the protection and assistance of over 26 million people around
the world who have fled war or persecution, seeking at the same time durable
solutions to their plight. In early 1997, UNHCR's major operations were in the
Great Lakes region of Africa, with over 1.4 million people in need; the former
Yugoslavia (over 2 million people); and western Asia (some 2.3 million Afghan refugees).
All UN emergency relief is coordinated by the UN Emergency Relief
Coordinator, who heads the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs.
In 1996, the UN raised $1.3 billion for emergency assistance to over
22 million people around the world.
5. DISARMAMENT
5.1 UN Activity in the Sphere of
Disarmament
Halting the arms race and reducing and eventually eliminating all
weapons of war are major concerns of the UN. The UN has been a permanent forum
for disarmament negotiations, making recommendations and initiating studies.
Negotiations have been held bilaterally and through international bodies such
as the Conference on Disarmament, which meets regularly in Geneva.
The General Assembly adopted in 1996 the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, a
landmark agreement that aims at banning all nuclear-weapon tests.
In a major step in advancing non-proliferation, States parties in
1995 extended indefinitely the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT). Under this Treaty, nuclear-weapon States agree not to provide
nuclear weapons to other countries and to pursue nuclear disarmament;
non-nuclear weapon States agree not to acquire nuclear weapons. Concluded under
UN auspices, the Treaty has been ratified by over 170 countries.
Other treaties have been concluded to
prohibit the development, production and stockpiling of chemical weapons (1992)
and bacteriological weapons (1972); reduce conventional armed forces in Europe
(1990); ban nuclear weapons from the seabed and ocean floor (1971) and outer
space (1967); and ban or restrict other classes of weapons
The United Nations proposed another
disarmament agreement in 1972. The 100 nations that signed this Seabed
Agreement agreed never to place nuclear weapons on the ocean floor. Both the
Soviet Union and the United States were among the signers.
In 1996, States parties strengthened a Protocol restricting the use,
production and transfer of landmines – “silent killers” that slay or maim some
20,000 people each year. According to the UN, there are some 110 million
landmines in over 70 countries, and 2 million new landmines are laid every
year.
Mine Clearance
The subject of mine clearance is one
of critical importance that has recently taken center stage in the forum of
pressing world issues. As regards the work of the United Nations, the process
of demining is fundamental to the UN's ability to deliver programs effectively
in war-torn countries or post-war environments, whether such undertakings be
related to peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance or rehabilitation.
Over the past seven years, the need
for mine clearance has grown significantly in a number of regions around the
world. As a result, the UN is increasingly called upon to operate mine
clearance programs in areas that are completely infested with landmines and
unexploded ordnance (UXO). Consequently, prior to any large deployment of
personnel or equipment to a given area, the UN must prepare for a safe working
environment by initiating preliminary mine clearance activities in localized
areas. Once this has been completed, a broader operation can be accommodated to
conduct mine clearance activities on a more comprehensive scale.
The clearance of areas for use by a
supported nation is undertaken only when specially mandated by the Security
Council. It is standard procedure for the UN to not only performs mine
clearance but also to assist a supported nation in the development of its own
sustainable clearance capacity. The UN program may include such topics as mine
awareness, mine marking, mine survey, mine clearance as well as unexploded
ordinance disposal. Additionally, the program's overall efforts may go beyond
mine-specific issues to cover related areas, such as management and logistics,
training and support.
The UN may vary its approach to each
situation as there are currently no standardized templates or universal
procedures established for mine clearance activities world-wide.
Mine
Clearance in the United Nations is presently divided into two areas of
responsibility :
·
which plans and advises on mine clearing
activities carried out under United Nations auspices as well as maintains
contact with Governments and organizations that participate in or contribute to
these activities.
·
which serves as the focal point for coordinating
all humanitarian mine clearance and related activities.
These two units work together to
ensure a seamless approach to United Nations Mine Clearance Activities.
5.2 The Problem of Iraqi Military Arsenal
One of the last UN operations on
eliminating all weapons was connected with the investigation of Iraqi arsenal,
as there were some data proving that Iraq possesses very dangerous weapons that
might be lethal to the mankind.
The nation of Iraq is relatively
young; the country achieved independence in 1932. Since then, Iraq has been
almost perpetually at war with its neighbors. Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in
1990, leading to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Iraq has been under international
sanctions since the invasion and the United Nations refused to lift them until
it is convinced that Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction. The
United States and Britain threatened air strikes in 1998 over Iraq's refusal to
allow UN weapons inspectors' free access to all sites. The United States and
its allies patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq to protect Kurds from attack
and in the south to protect Shiite Muslims.
Almost all countries are concerned
with Iraq's unwillingness to allow UN inspectors investigate its military
arsenal. For example Swedish diplomat Rolf Ekeus - who led the UN investigations
from the cease-fire through the summer of 1997 and headed to Baghdad for talks,
said that they had declared everything. Iraq stated that no documents existed
in Iraq because they had been destroyed. That was exploded totally, because Iraq
itself admitted in writing even that it had been lying. Cheating systematically
from when we started in 1991 up until this very date in August of 1995.
5.2.1 Iraq/Kuwait conflict
To understand the essence of the
conflict it is necessary to descry the reasons of the conflict. Shortly after
the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq’s military dictator, Saddam Hussein, accused Kuwait of
taking an unfair share of oil revenues. In August 1990 he made the claim that
Kuwait was a part of Iraq and ordered his armies to invade and occupy Kuwait.
The Iraqi invasion alarmed President
Bush and other world leaders for three reasons. First, it was an act of
aggression by a strong nation against a weaker nation. (Iraq in 1990 had the
fourth largest military force in the world.) Second, the taking of Kuwait
opened the way to an Iraqi conquest of the world’s largest oil-producing
nation, Saudi Arabia. Third, the combination of Iraq’s military power and
aggressive actions would allow it to dominate the other countries of the Middle
East.
To prevent further aggression,
President Bush ordered 200,000 troops to Saudi Arabia, followed later by an
additional 300,000. “We have drawn a line in the sand,” said the president, as
he announced a defensive effort called Operation Desert Shield. US troops were
joined by other forces from a UN-supported coalition of 28 nations including
Great Britain, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt.
Members of the UN Security Council,
including both the United States and the Soviet Union, voted for a series of
resolution concerning Iraq’s aggression. One UN resolution demanded Iraq’s
unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. Other resolutions placed an international
embargo on trade with Iraq and authorized UN members to use force if Iraqi
troops did not leave Kuwait by January 15, 1991. As the January deadline
neared, members of Congress debated whether or not to authorize the president
to send US troops into combat in the Persian Gulf. Both houses voted in favor
of the war resolution. [ ]
The Gulf War had far greater
significance to the emerging post-cold war world than simply reversing Iraqi
aggression and restoring Kuwait. In international terms, we tried to establish
a model for the use of force. First and foremost was the principle that aggression
cannot pay. If we dealt properly with Iraq, that should go a long way toward
dissuading future would-be aggressors. We also believed that the US should not
go it alone, that a multilateral approach was better. [ ]
5.2.2. UNIKOM Establishment
On 3 April 1991, the Security Council
adopted resolution 687 (1991), which set detailed conditions for a cease-fire
and established the machinery for ensuring implementation of those conditions.
By resolution 687 (1991) the Council established a demilitarized zone along the
border between Iraq and Kuwait, to be monitored by a UN observer unit.
On 9 April 1991, the Security Council
adopted resolution 689 (1991) which approved the Secretary General's plan for
the establishment of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission
(UNIKOM). The UNIKOM advance party arrived in the area on April 1991. UNIKOM
was established to monitor the Khawr 'Abd Allah and the DMZ set up along the
border between Iraq and Kuwait, and to observe any hostile or potentially
hostile action mounted from the territory of one State to the other.
The mandate was expanded in February
1993 by Security Council resolution 806 (1993), with the addition of an
infantry battalion, to: take physical action to prevent, or redress, small
scale violations of the DMZ and of the boundary between Iraq and Kuwait; and
problems arising from the presence of Iraqi installations and citizens and
their assets in the DMZ on the Kuwaiti side of the border. Since the
demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary in May 1993 by the United Nations
Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission, and the relocation of Iraqi
citizens found to be on the Kuwaiti side of the border back into Iraq, the
situation along the DMZ has been calm.
From the Security Council on down,
nearly every UN diplomat, along with officials from many other countries, will
not stop repeating their mantra: They want full and unfettered access to all
sites in Iraq where the inspection team suspects weapons of mass destruction
are hidden. And that is precisely what Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has refused
to do, for the seven years that the inspection regime has been in force.
President Clinton has managed to put
the United States on both sides of the diplomatic fence, repeatedly insisting
America is making every effort to avoid violence, but is ready to use U.S.
aircraft and cruise missiles to pound Iraq into submission if necessary.
The United States has assembled an
armada in the Persian Gulf consisting of 30,000 soldiers, sailors, pilots and
Marines, 20 warships, and more than 400 attack and support aircraft. Although
it doesn’t compare to the huge multinational force that went to war with Iraq
in 1991, neither does the coalition.
So far, only Britain and Canada have
joined the United States in sending forces to the area. Most of the nations
that supported the attack in 1991 seem to feel that a military solution is too
unsubtle a tool for such a delicate diplomatic goal, and that the Iraqi people,
already suffering under UN sanctions, do not need to endure another baptism by
fire.
The demonstrations - never
spontaneous and always state-organized - quickly became tedious affairs, with
the same posters, the same chants, the same stunts.
What's more, the UN Security Council
more than doubled the amount of oil Iraq can sell over six months in order to
buy food, medicine and other goods for its people suffering from devastating
sanctions imposed when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. At that time to put
pressure on Iraqi forces to withdraw, the United States and the UN voted to
place an embargo on the purchase of Iraqi oil. The resulting drop in oil
supplies quickly led to higher prices at gas stations all across the country.
The vote was unanimous in the
15-member body. The new program—which raises the permitted oil revenue from $2
billion to $5.256 billion—does not go into effect until Annan evaluates and
approves an Iraqi plan for how the goods should be distributed.
Iraq has expressed irritation over
the plan and delayed the previous versions of it, citing what it called
infringements on its sovereignty. UN officials insist on the right to strictly
monitor the aid given under the plan to make sure it reaches those who need it.
U.S. opinion polls show support for
attacks on Iraq remains strong, hovering in the 60 percent range, but a
disastrous “town hall” meeting in Ohio on Wednesday suggested it was equally
fragile.
State Department spokesman James P.
Rubin said families were not being ordered to leave Israel and Kuwait, but that
they were being allowed to do so over concerns they may consider it prudent.
Iraqis have in the past threatened to
attack both Israel and Kuwait in the event that Iraq is attacked. The United
States this weekend is beefing up forces in Kuwait, and Israel has been urgently
distributing gas masks.
“The probability of Iraq resorting to
the use of chemical or biological weapons is remote, but it cannot be
excluded,” Rubin said.
U.S. officials acknowledge that any
attack on Iraq could hit hard at civilians there.
As a result of UNICOM work the following
data concerning Iraqi military arsenal were received.
Missiles
|
UN verified as destroyed
|
UN believes may exist.
|
Missiles
|
817
|
2
|
Warheads
|
30
|
45
|
Launchers and
launch pads
|
75
|
0
|
Chemical
Weapons
|
Munitions
(filled and empty)
|
38,537
|
31,658
|
Precursor chemicals
|
3,000
tons
|
4,000
tons
|
Equipment for
production
|
516
|
459
|
Biological
Weapons
|
Although the
Al Hakam factory, capable of producing anthrax and botulinum toxin, was
raised, these and other agents have not been accounted for.
The events that took place December
16, 1998 shocked the mankind. US and British forces launched a “strong,
sustained” series of airstrikes against Iraq early Thursday, targeting military
and security installations throughout the country. Pentagon[1] sources said about 200
cruise missiles were fired from ships and manned fighter bombers in the first
wave of what will be an “open-ended’ attack, designed to degrade Iraq’s ability
to produce nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Clinton accused Hussein of
failing to live up to his commitment to allow unrestricted access to UN weapons
inspectors. This is how chief CNN International Correspondent Christiane
Amanpour reported from a rooftop in downtown Baghdad: “An orange plume of smoke
wafted over the city after one of the loudest bursts.” Allied missiles struck
more than 50 separate targets” during the first wave of bombing that began
overnight on Wednesday.
The military strikes – which came at
night – followed a roughly 14-month period during which Baghdad officials
periodically said they would no longer cooperate with the weapons inspectors.
During that time, Baghdad also repeatedly demanded that crippling international
sanctions, imposed after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait prior to the Gulf War, be
lifted. The most recent escalation in the ongoing weapons standoff came in
early November. At that time, Western powers threatened military strikes
against Iraq. The threat was removed on November 14, when Baghdad agreed to
cooperate fully with the weapons inspectors. But, US and British officials
warned Baghdad that future airstrikes could come without warning should Iraqi
leadership again refuse to cooperate with UNSCOM. To back up their threat,
Western powers left in place the military might they had positioned in the Persian
Gulf, within striking distance of Iraq. It was that military weaponry that was
used on Thursday to conduct the strikes against Iraq. A stray missile from the
allied attack on Iraq crashed into a southwestern Iranian border city Khorramshahr
causing no casualties but prompting a strong diplomatic protest from Tehran.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Gen. Henry Shelton said the sites hit during the first bombing wave included
weapons of mass destruction and barracks belonging to the Iraqi Republican
Guard. US and British officials have said they will continue bombing Baghdad
until they have achieved their goal which is not to destabilize the regime but
to decrease his capacity to threaten his neighbours.
World community’s response was not
unanimous. Many Russian politicians expressed their negative attitude to the
bombing. Boris Yeltzin met with Evgeni Primakov, Russian Prime-minister,
Nikolai Bordyuzha, Security Council secretary and Anatoly Kvashnin, General
Staff commander where he claimed that Russia would demand conducting the UN
Security Council summit to consider the situation in Iraq. Egor Stroyev,
Federation Council chairman said that the US and British bombardment of Iraq is
a strike not on Iraq but on public opinion and above all on UNO. Russian
Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov expressed his point of view saying that military
action ceasing would allow to renew the political process of Iraqi settlement.
Moreover, he said that the report was made at the time when Iraqi leaders
approved of their readiness to collaborate with UNSCOM. Russian Ambassador Yuli
Vorontsov will return to Moscow for “consultations”.
The only country that fully backed
American and British bombing of Iraq was Japan. Keidzo Obutti, the Prime
Minister of this country has already received acknowledgement from the US
president. According to his opinion Iraq didn’t fully cooperate with UN
officials. Japan that is connected with the USA by economic and military union
as well as strategic partnership always supports everything US does.
Tony Blair, the British prime
minister is expected to be backed by the majority of deputies to the House of
Commons. He said the attack, named Operation Desert Fox, was necessary because
Hussein never intended to abide by his pledge to give unconditional access to
UN inspectors trying to determine if Iraq has dismantled its biological,
chemical and nuclear weapons programs. From morning some protesters-natives
from Arab countries – Syria, Pakistan and Iraq – held demonstrations in
Trafalgar Square and near prime minister’s residence situated in Downing
street, 10. British people also fully agree with their government decision.
Russian position is discussed by mass media. Moscow is said to have too little
assets to seriously affect the situation. Today “Times” wrote: “Washington made
it clear that the arguments of the country whose economic situation fully
depends on financial assistance of Western countries won’t stop him.
Paris is reserved in its comments
connected with the Iraqi bombing. France always adhered to diplomatic crisis
regulation.
NATO Ministers of Defense have
gathered in Brussels to discuss their position regarding the situation in the
Persian Gulf. Nobody have expressed their wish to participate in military actions.
The UN
Security Council held a special debate Wednesday evening on the military action.
Diplomats said the meeting of the 15-nation council would enable members to
voice their views on the crisis, but no council action was expected in the form
of a resolution or other decision. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed
regret the standoff had not been resolved diplomatically. Richard Butler,
UNSCOM chairman, ordered UNSCOM staff out of Baghdad. The entire staff was
evacuated before dawn on Wednesday.
Iraqi officials said at least 25
people had died and 75 were wounded in the Iraqi capital alone during two days
of airstrikes.
CONCLUSION
The UNO, established to replace the
existing League of Nations, faces very difficult situation in connection with
Iraqi bombardment. The beginning of effective Iraqi resistance came with a
rapidity which surprised us all, and we were perhaps psychologically unprepared
for the sudden transition from peacemaking to fighting. Some say that Clinton
wanted to delay the floor debate and vote on whether he should be impeached
over his actions stemming from an affair with former White House intern Monica
Lewinski. Some questioned America's moral right to bomb Iraq, while others
demanded that this time the US do the job properly and get rid of Saddam Hussein.
But by doing so the USA and Britain
have violated the UN Charter according to which: "All Members shall
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."
[ ]
Many political leaders doubt the
necessity to preserve the UNO as there were drastic actions made by it. I think
that the main reason for it is that the USA is the main financial source of the
UNO and the latter in its turn is not willing to lose it.
In some way, my work can be continued
as the events that happen in the world change the situation greatly. The future
will show whether the UNO will be preserved or whether it’ll lose its unique
character.
REFERENCES
1.
Basic Facts about the UN. Sales No
E.95.1.31;
2.
Bush G., Scowcroft B. Why We didn’t Remove
Saddam. Times, June 21, 1998;
3.
Contreras Joseph, Watson Russel. Saddam Old
Tricks. News Week, June 15, 1998;
4.
Documents of the United Nations Department of
Public Information;
5.
Dr. Jan Azud Csc. The Peaceful Settlement of
Disputes and the UN. Bratislava: Publishing House of the Slovak Academy of
Sciences, 1970;
6.
Inside UNSCOM: The Inspector. Transcript of
interview with Charles Duelfer, Deputy Chairman of the UN Special Commission to
Iraq.;
7.
Iraq Bars UN Inspection Teams From Searching For
Weapons. Copyright 1998. The Associated Press.;
8.
Malt Bill G. Parade of the Dead Babies. Times.
August 7, 1998;
9.
Nelan Bruce W. Selling the War Badly. Times,
March 2, 1998;
10. Osmanczyk Edmund Jan. The Encyclopedia of the United Nations and
International Relations. 2nd ed. New York: Taylor and Francis, 1990;
11. Peiser A., Serber M. U.S. History and Government. New York: Asmo
School Publications, Inc., 1992;
12. Ritter Leaves Baghdad After Weapons Inspections. CNN News Release.
March 10, 1998;
13. Saddam Hussein Freezes co-operation with UN inspectors. CNN News
Release. August 5, 1998;
14. Scott Ritter Testifies In Senate. CNN News Release. September 4,
1998;
15. The UN Charter;
16. The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: Field Enterprises, Inc.
17. U.S. Reacts Sternly to Iraq’s Rebuff of Inspectors. CNN News
Release, December 9, 1998;
18. U.S., Britain Bombard Iraq. CNN News Release, December 16, 1998;
19. United Nations Iraq-Kuwait observation mission;
20. Wedeman Ben “Iraqis protest, but against what?”;
21. Western Forces Pound Baghdad in Second, “Stronger” Assault. CNN News
Release, December 17, 1998;
Appendix
A
CHARTER OF THE UN
PREAMBLE
WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice
in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations
large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the
obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be
maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom,
AND FOR THESE ENDS
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as
good neighbours, and
to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security,
and
to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of
methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic
and social advancement of all peoples,
HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH
THESE AIMS
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives
assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers
found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the
United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be
known as the United Nations.
Appendix B
The specialized agencies
·
The International Labour
Organization (ILO) formulates policies
and programs to improve working conditions and employment opportunities, and
defines international labour standards as guidelines for Governments;
·
The Food and Agriculture Organization
of the UN (FAO) works
to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural
productivity and food security, and to better the conditions of rural
populations;
·
The UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) promotes education for all
cultural development, protection of the world's natural and cultural heritage,
press freedom and communication;
·
The World Health Organization
(WHO) coordinates programs aimed at solving health problems and the
attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health: it works in
areas such as immunization, health education and the provision of essential
drugs;
·
The World Bank group
provides loans and technical assistance to developing countries to reduce
poverty and advance sustainable economic growth;
·
The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) facilitates international monetary cooperation and financial
stability, and provides a permanent forum for consultation, advice and assistance
on financial issues;
·
The International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) sets international standards necessary for the
safety, security, efficiency and regularity of air transport, and serves as the
medium for cooperation in all areas of civil aviation;
·
The Universal Postal Union (UPU)
establishes international regulations for the organization and improvement of
postal services, provides technical assistance and promotes cooperation in
postal matters;
·
The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) fosters international cooperation for
the improvement and use of telecommunications of all kinds, coordinates usage
of radio and TV frequencies, promotes safety measures and conducts research;
·
The World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) promotes scientific research on the atmosphere
and on climate change, and facilitates the global exchange of meteorological
data and information;
·
The International Maritime Organization (IMO)
works to improve international shipping procedures, encourages the highest
standards in marine safety, and seeks to prevent marine pollution from ships;
·
The World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) promotes international protection of
intellectual property and fosters cooperation on copyrights, trademarks,
industrial designs and patents;
·
The International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD) mobilizes financial resources for
better food production and nutrition among the poor in developing countries;
·
The UN Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO) promotes the industrial advancement of
developing countries through technical assistance, advisory services and
training;
·
The International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), an autonomous intergovernmental organization under
the aegis of the UN, works for the safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy;
·
The UN and the World Trade
Organization (WTO), the major entity overseeing international trade,
cooperate in assisting developing countries' exports through the Geneva-based
International Trade Centre.
"I want an understanding that
will help my mission and
make it successful"
Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary General
Kofi Atta Annan, current Secretary General of the United Nations, is
a native of Ghana -- at the time of his birth, still a British colony called
the Gold Coast. He was born April 8, 1938, in Kumasi, the descendant of a
prominent family of paramount chieftains of the Fante people.. Annan began his
education at a Ghanaian university, then completed a degree in economics at
Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. He pursued graduate studies in Geneva at
the Institut Universitaire de Hautes Etudes Internationales. Again in the
United States, Annan earned an M.S. in management at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
By 1971, Annan had joined the United Nations.
His experience includes positions as Assistant Secretary General for
Program Planning, Budget and Finance, head of human resources and security
coordinator, director of the budget, chief of personnel for the High Commission
for Refugees and administrative officer for the Economic Commission for Africa.
He was named Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations on
March 1, 1993. In the peacekeeping post he did, however, take on a number of
delicate and complex jobs. He was sent to Iraq to negotiate the release of
hostages and the safe transport of a half-million Asian workers who had become
stranded in that area. As representative of the UN Secretary General in
Bosnia., he negotiated his way among the four powers who had intervened in
Bosnia -- the United States, Britain, France and Russia.
On the evening of December 13, 1996, Annan was named Secretary General
of the United Nations -- the first black African to hold the job.
In the future, Annan will grapple with the problem of gaining
support for the United Nations from the organisation's sceptics, especially the
U.S. Congress.
Appendix D
Membership and Presidency of
the Security Council in 1998
|
Month
|
Presidency
|
Membership Term Ends
|
January
|
France
|
Permanent Member
|
February
|
Gabon
|
31 December 1999
|
March
|
Gambia
|
31 December 1999
|
April
|
Japan
|
31 December 1998
|
May
|
Kenya
|
31 December 1998
|
June
|
Portugal
|
31 December 1998
|
July
|
Russian Federation
|
Permanent Member
|
August
|
Slovenia
|
31 December 1999
|
September
|
Sweden
|
31 December 1998
|
October
|
United Kingdom
|
Permanent Member
|
November
|
United States
|
Permanent Member
|
December
|
Bahrain
|
31 December 1999
|
|
Brazil
|
31 December 1999
|
|
China
|
Permanent Member
|
|
Costa Rica
|
31 December 1998
|
|
|
|
|
|
Appendix E
The United Nations was established in the aftermath of a devastating
war to help stabilize international relations and give peace a more secure
foundation.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded five times to the United
Nations and its organizations.
Appendix F
Country
Profile
Iraq
|
General
|
|
Size:
|
437,072
sq. km
|
|
Location:
|
Middle
East
|
|
Population:
|
21.4
million
|
Republic
|
|
Leader:
|
President
Saddam Hussein
|
|
People
|
|
Languages
|
Arabic,
Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
|
|
Major
Religions
|
Muslim
97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
|
|
Ethnic
groups
|
Arab
75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
|
|
Growth
rate
|
3.69%
|
|
Birth
rate
|
43.07
births/1,000
|
|
Death
rate
|
6.57
deaths/1,000
|
|
Fertility
rate
|
6.41
children/woman
|
|
Male
life expectancy
|
65
|
|
Female
life expectancy
|
68
|
|
Infant
mortality rate
|
60
deaths/1,000 live births
|
|
|
|
|
Economy
|
|
Labor force
|
4.4
million
|
|
Unemployment
rate
|
N/A
|
|
Inflation
Rate
|
N/A
|
|
Gross
domestic product (total value of goods and services produced annually)
|
$41.1
billion (1995 est.)
|
|
Budget
|
N/A
|
|
Debt
|
$50.0
billion (1989)
|
|
Exports
|
N/A
|
|
Imports
|
N/A
|
|
Defense
spending
|
N/A
|
|
Highways
|
45,554
km (1989)
|
Appendix G
Saddam Hussein
President of Iraq
[1]
Blitzkrieg (Ger.) – lightning war, traced back to WW II
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