"Ideas on Bridging the Divide" Talking Points, United Nations Security Council, February 2003

Canadian Government

Text of the Canadian plan titled "Ideas on Bridging the Divide":

Purpose: The following draws upon existing ideas in order to establish a defined process for a specific period of time to address the Iraq situation.

Rationale: Council division on such a crucial issue could have serious long-term implications for the UN and for international peace and stability.

Both sides have a point:

• An open-ended inspection process would relieve the pressure on the Iraqis to disarm.

• A truncated inspection process would leave doubt that war was a last resort.

The focus should be put back on disarmament, on substance not on process, e.g. the disposition of the VX gas and precursors, etc.

Iraq should be left in no doubt exactly what is demanded of it on substance, not just on process, leaving no "wiggle room."

Hence, the need for a deadline for substantial co-operation, for example March 28, which would:

• be near-term enough to keep the pressure on the Iraqis to disarm;

• nonetheless, afford sufficient time for judgments to be made whether the Iraqis were co-operating on substance and disarming and/or providing persuasive and credible evidence that weapons had already been destroyed as claimed.

If Iraq persists in evasion, the Council retains the right to act at any point.

If the March 28 inspection report indicates that the Iraqis have not complied, all necessary means could be used to force them to do so.

If Iraq co-operates, an enhanced inspection, verification and monitoring system would be implemented.

Timetable and Disarmament Requirements

February 28:

Inspectors bring forward their “clusters” report early and present it to the Council setting out the key remaining disarmament issues/questions.

Inspectors present a prioritization with timeframes for the Council of the key substantive tasks for Iraq to accomplish, including those involving missiles/delivery systems, chemical weapons/precursors, biological weapons/material and nuclear weapons.

March 7:
Inspectors update the Council on Iraqi co-operation on substance.

March 14:
Further update.

March 21:
Further update.

March 28
Final report to the Council by inspectors:.

March 31:
Meeting of the Council at ministerial level:

• If the inspectors have reported substantial Iraqi compliance, a robust ongoing verification and monitoring system, including increased numbers of inspectors/monitors, investigations, etc., would be implemented.

• If the inspectors have reported continued Iraqi evasion, all necessary means to force them to comply could be used.