New Zealand Allows Peace To Slip Away

Auckland, 18 March 2003; A last chance for peace is slipping away as New Zealand fails to act in the face of continuous Security Council deadlock, said Greenpeace New Zealand.

The United Nations is being sidelined as the US, Britain and Australia prepare an unprecedented, illegal and immoral war on Iraq.

“Greenpeace wrote to Helen Clark on 27 February urging the adoption of resolution 377 'Uniting for Peace'. A single member country can propose this resolution and the Secretary General can convene the General Assembly within 24 hours. It simply requires international leadership. Said, Robbie Kelman, Greenpeace spokesperson.

“There is still time for the General Assembly to convene and formally vote against this war. For the Prime Minister to suggest there is no time for this resolution is not correct.

“The United Nations needs to assert its relevance and voice and must do everything it can to oppose this war.

“Convening the General Assembly in the face of an obvious lack of unanimity within the Security Council would send a powerful signal to the US, Britain and Australia that the world does not want this war.

“Greenpeace is urging the Prime Minister to convene the UN General Assembly under resolution 377 within 24 hours. New Zealand still has a role to play in doing all it can to avoid this war.

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