Viewing cable 03OTTAWA747, CANADA WON'T JOIN MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000747 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL MOPS IZ CA
SUBJECT: CANADA WON'T JOIN MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ 
WITHOUT ANOTHER UNSC RESOLUTION 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Echoing Prime Minister Chretian's March 
17 comments in Parliament, Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister 
Lavertu formally notified A/DCM Gerson that, absent another 
UNSC resolution, Canada would not participate in a U.S.-led 
military coalition against Iraq. End Summary. 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) A/DCM Leslie Gerson and British High Commissioner 
Sir Robert Andrew Burns were advised by Deputy Foreign 
Minister Gaetan Lavertu in a meeting at Canadian Department 
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on March 
17 that the Canadian government will not join in military 
operations against Iraq in the absence of a new U.N. Security 
Council resolution. During the meeting Mr. Lavertu made the 
following points: 
 
-- Canada has been clear in stating its deep concern 
regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and its 
continued defiance of calls by the international community 
for it to disarm; it has no illusions about the nature of the 
repressive and brutal regime of Saddam Hussein; 
 
-- It therefore strongly supported the unanimous adoption by 
the UNSC of resolution 1441 with its clear message regarding 
'serious consequences' if Iraq failed to disarm; Canada 
recognizes the considerable efforts made by Security Council 
members during these past months - led by the U.S. - to find 
a common way forward in terms of ensuring Iraqi compliance 
with its international obligations; 
 
-- The GOC knows that this has not been easy and has taken 
considerable political time and effort to try to manage this 
issue through the United Nations; it is grateful that this 
effort was made, believing that United Nations Security 
Council is the appropriate forum within which to determine 
this important matter of international peace and security. 
 
--Canada has said that, if there were a clear decision by the 
UN Security Council, it would do its part; it deeply regrets 
the inability of Security Council members to come to 
agreement on the issue of a second resolution, despite the 
efforts made. Canada did its best to try and bridge the deep 
divisions within the Council and understands why we have 
decided that we now need to act on the serious consequences 
spelled out in 1441; 
 
-- While Canada intends to leave its 1280 military personnel, 
ships and aircraft in the region to continue to contribute to 
the campaign against terrorism, as the Prime Minister stated 
today in the House of Commons, it will not be a member of the 
military coalition against Iraq; 
 
-- In its public messaging the GOC will stress that the issue 
is, and continues to be, about Iraq; its non-compliance; its 
weapons of mass destruction and its grudging cooperation with 
the inspectors, even in the face of Security Council 
unanimity and the build up of military forces in the region. 
Iraq bears the responsibility for the consequences of its 
actions and continued violation of international law. Canada 
will also say that it has decided not be a member of the 
military coalition and will concentrate its efforts in the 
campaign against terrorism - through its ships in the Gulf 
and its forthcoming contribution to ISAF in Afghanistan; 
 
-- Canada's commitment to the coalition effort under 
Operation Enduring Freedom is undiminished and the horror of 
September 11th is still fresh in its minds; 
 
-- Canada is also preparing to play a major role in the 
continued stability and security of Afghanistan, through 
ISAF; this summer it will deploy a Battle Group to 
Afghanistan for a twelve-month period; Canada believes that 
these tasks are more important than ever; 
 
-- Canada will also do its part in humanitarian assistance 
and post conflict resolution in Iraq, but believes that these 
activities must take place under the auspices of the United 
Nations. In this respect the GOC would urge Council members 
to work assiduously to come to agreement within the Council 
on this important aspect of the Iraq crisis; in this way all 
members of the international community will be able to make 
their contribution to improving the lives of the 
long-suffering Iraqi people. 
 
¶2. (U) We note that Prime Minister Chretien first announced 
his government's position earlier in the day during the 
regular question period in the House of Commons. To loud 
applause from the Liberal Party majority, Chretien said 
Canada would not participate in military action against Iraq 
unless a new Security Council resolution authorized such 
action. He claimed no country has worked harder than Canada 
to bridge the gap between factions in the Security Council. 
The Prime Minister also repeated statements he had made in a 
March 9 appearance on an American news program, that there 
was no need to go to war because Saddam is now surrounded and 
monitored by UN weapons inspectors. 
 
¶3. (U) Prime Minister Chretien also indicated that Canadian 
naval vessels carrying out escort and surveillance duties in 
the Arabian Sea as part of the war against terrorism will 
continue on those assignments. Rejecting suggestions that 
the vessels might be reassigned to take part in a war with 
Iraq, Chretien referred to the present mission of the vessels 
as an important one for the Canadian navy. He also said that 
a very small group of Canadian military personnel who are 
assigned through exchange programs to British and American 
units in the region are not in combat roles, and will not be 
removed. 
¶4. (C) Comment: The Prime Minister's statement today 
regarding the need for a second Security Council resolution 
was a departure from Canada's previous waffling on whether a 
second resolution would be necessary for Canadian 
participation in military actions against Iraq. In 
justifying his government's decision not to join in military 
action against Iraq, Chretien pointed to the failure of the 
latest British proposal to gain any traction in the Security 
Council in recent days as "very important". During his 
meeting with the A/DCM, however, the Deputy Foreign Minister 
stressed that, even though they remain unable to endorse 
military action on the basis of resolution 1441 alone, Canada 
remains a strong friend and ally of both the United States 
and the U.K. Canada, in its public statements, will voice 
its understanding of any action we undertake and will 
continue to place the blame on Iraq. We will not, he said, 
hear criticism or doubts expressed by Ottawa. 
 
¶6. (C) Comment Continued: Following the meeting, Political 
Director Jim Wright emphasized that, despite public 
statements that the Canadian assets in the Straits of Hormuz 
will remain in the region exclusively to support Enduring 
Freedom, they will also be available to provide escort 
services in the Straits and will otherwise be discreetly 
useful to the military effort. The two ships in the Straits 
now are being augmented by two more enroute, and there are 
patrol and supply aircraft in the UAE which are also 
prepared to "be useful." This message tracks with others we 
have heard. While for domestic political reasons and out of 
a deep-seated Canadian commitment to multilateralism the GOC 
has decided not to join in a U.S. coalition of the willing, 
they will refrain from criticism of our actions, express 
understanding, and focus their public comments on the real 
culprit, Iraq. They are also prepared to be as helpful as 
possible in the military margins, an aspect of their role 
which we intend to clarify. 
Kelly 
KELLY