Kofi Annan says Iraq too violent for U.N. role

Kofi Annan says Iraq too violent for U.N. role

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said yesterday that the violence and anarchy sweeping Iraq will prevent the world body from re-establishing a major presence in the country anytime in the near future.
Mr. Annan also deplored the kidnapping of civilians in Iraq, many of whom were trying to rebuild the nation, and called for their release.
"I think it's unacceptable that these civilians should be mistreated in the way that they are now. I would want to see all of them released and allowed to go about, return to their countries or go about their business," he said.
Mr. Annan also told reporters in New York that the small U.N. team in Iraq, led by top official Lakhdar Brahimi, had been hampered in advising Iraqis on forming an interim government and planning for elections early next year.
"Given the deteriorating situation and the violence on the ground, even that task has been rather difficult," Mr. Annan said.
"For the foreseeable future, insecurity is going to be a major constraint for us. And so I cannot say right now that I am going to be sending in a large U.N. team," he said.
U.S. officials played down the statement, saying a smaller presence might be all that is needed to accomplish important goals.
"It's not a deal killer," said a U.S. official at the United Nations' headquarters, noting that Mr. Annan had voiced concern about the security situation before. "A lot of work can be done in small teams" in Iraq and outside the country, the official said.
There were "important things being done by the United Nations right now without sending in a big U.N. team," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. He acknowledged that as Iraq moved closer to the January 2005 election deadline, larger U.N. teams would be needed.
But Jonathan Tepperman, senior editor at the policy journal Foreign Affairs, said Mr. Annan's decision was "a political blow to the administration, which is anxious to get the U.N. involved because it would give greater international legitimacy to the mission and help the U.S. share the burden."
The United Nations withdrew its permanent foreign staff from Iraq in October after attacks on aid organizations and the August bombing of its headquarters that killed 22 persons.
Others think that the role of the United Nations in shaping the future of the Iraqi people should be strictly limited anyway, pointing out the organization's failure to call for regime change in Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

more...

http://www.washtimes.com/world/20040414-010336-6554r.htm

How long does he hold that position? He seems like he's been there since I can remember.

UN said Disssssssssss.

(CNN) -- Moscow has responded to the kidnapping of eight employees of a Russia power consortium working in Baghdad by announcing the evacuation of more than 800 contractors from Iraq.

On Tuesday, Coalition Provisional Authority spokesman Dan Senor said 40 people from 12 countries were being held hostage in Iraq.

Three Russians and five Ukranians were kidnapped in Iraq on Monday then later freed.

The abductors did not make contact with their company, Inter Energo Servis, and had made no demands, executive director Alexander Rybinsky said.

According to the company Web site, IES has 365 employees in Iraq and has contracts to repair power plants in Nasiriya, in southern Iraq, and Baghdad.

more
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/14/iraq.hostages.int/

This has the effect of undermining Kerry's position.

Kerry talks about "internationalizing" Iraq and "turning it over to the UN". Well, they don't want it. There is NO ONE to hand this hot potato off to and it is silly to insist there is.

In that case, wouldn't 'hands off' the hot potato be smarter than 'handing it off' from player to player...?