The United States has withheld the overwhelmingly larger part of Iraq's report on weapons of mass destruction from the elected members of the United Nations Security Council, according to reliable reports which we have received. The Russell Foundation has raised the crucial issues which follow from this strategic intervention by the United States in the implementation of resolution 1441 with the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and the members of the Security Council themselves. We have also sought Nelson Mandela's help in this vital matter. We thought you would like to see these letters. We hope you can publicise this landmark issue in your own countries.
Ken Coates
Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation
To Mr Nelson Mandela
Dear Mr Mandela,
As I am sure that you will have seen, pursuant to resolution 1441 of the Security Council of the United Nations, the Iraqi Government submitted a dossier of no fewer than 11,800 pages to the United Nations, reporting on weapons of mass destruction.
It was subsequently reported that the United States Government had obtained possession of this dossier by the expedient of offering to photocopy it for the officials of the UN. On this unbelievable pretext, it became possible for the United States to impose its own regulation on the distribution of the dossier. It is alleged that the five permanent members have been acquainted with the full contents of the dossier. But it was quite widely reported that the non-permanent members were acquainted with a shorter version of the dossier, excluding certain information about the technical details of the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction, and other information about the suppliers of equipment for this manufacturing process, which could be deemed to incriminate some Western companies.
However, the truth seems to be very much more disturbing. Under the byline of Felicity Arbuthnot and James Cusick, the Glasgow Sunday Herald published a story which alleged that "more than 8,000 crucial pages" of the Iraqi dossier submitted under resolution 1441 had been suppressed in the versions made available to non-permanent members of the Security Council. I spoke to Ms. Arbuthnot about this report which seemed, quite frankly, unbelievable. But she assures me that it is true, and that she had it on the authority of Hans von Sponeck.
If the majority of the members of the Security Council can be prevented from reading a dossier which, after all, is addressed to them, how can they reach a dispassionate judgement on the terrible question of war and peace? Is it not necessary to find ways to call the United Nations to order on this matter?
I have asked Kofi Annan to explain by what authority this decision was taken. I am sure that if you were able to press this question, it is possible that you might be far better placed to get an answer.
In any event, I think that the danger of war is already dire. If war breaks out, Iraq will not be the only casualty, desperate though its fate is likely to be. The other main casualty will be the United Nations, which will be seriously discredited if procedures of this kind cannot be challenged.
With my respect and very good wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Coates
Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation
Mr Kofi Annan
Secretary General
The United Nations
31st December, 2002
Dear Secretary General,
We are deeply disturbed by a news item which has appeared in the Scottish press, which reports that of the 11,800 page dossier on weapons of mass destruction, prepared by the Iraqi Government in response to resolution 1441 of the Security Council, "more than 8,000 pages" have been withheld from the ten non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Can you inform us by what right this decision was taken, in accordance with which rule of procedure?
It would seem to us that members of the Security Council have equal right to receive all communications which arise out of the operation of the Council's resolutions. Are you arguing that this is not the case?
How did it come about that one member-state arrived in a position in which it could censor communications to ten other members?
We think this matter is of some considerable importance, and we hope that you will be able to explain to us how it has been justified.
With our respect and good wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Coates
Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation
To members of the Security Council including the Foreign Secretaries of the Non-permanent Members Mexico, Syria, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Guinea, Germany, Spain, Angola, Pakistan, Chile, Mauritius, Norway, Singapore, Colombia, and Ireland
"As was widely reported in the press, The Iraqi Government prepared an 11800 page dossier on its role in relation to weapons of mass destruction. We understand that this dossier was given to the UN and transported to New York, where by some mechanism on which we are not completely clear, it came into the hands of the United States administration, which promised to copy it for members of the Security Council.
It has been reported in the British press that in fact the non-permanent members of the Security Council were given more than 8000 pages fewer than the number which were submitted originally by the Iraqi Government. Is this true? Can you tell us what explanation has been offered for the decision to furnish less than full information about the operation of resolution 1441 to members of the Security Council? How is it expected that you can play a full part in the deliberations which are to come, if you are not in possession of all the evidence?
Since questions of peace and war will be at stake, do you not think that it is obligatory that all members of the Security Council should, by right, receive all relevant information on the subjects to be decided?"