Clark Further Insults Coalition of the Willing

Wednesday 26 Mar 2003 Ken Shirley Press Releases -- Foreign Affairs & Defence

New Zealand's plan to make a statement to the UN Security Council on Thursday expressing disappointment with our traditional allies' course on Iraq is offensive and hypocritical, ACT Deputy Leader Ken Shirley said today.

"The Government is planning to make a statement to the Security Council on Thursday "expressing disappointment" that our traditional allies did not pursue the "diplomatic route" with Iraq.

"This statement will be intellectually dishonest and morally repugnant.

"Our allies - with braver leaders than Helen Clark - gave the murderous regime of Saddam Hussein ample opportunity to accept the "diplomatic route", and then reluctantly took the only option available.

"Helen Clark's decision to cuddle up even further to the Moscow-Berlin-Paris bloc is extraordinary. She is hiding among the ample swirling skirts of the UN prevaricators: leaders who offer nothing but ongoing succour to the murderous regime of Saddam Hussein by refusing to enforce existing UN Security Council resolutions.

"Helen Clark has already rejected our traditional allies - the United States of America, Australia and the United Kingdom. Now she is just adding insult to injury.

"Given that Helen Clark accuses the large Coalition of the Willing of `not listening' to the United Nations, one wonders why she is choosing that forum to deliver her further insults. Surely it would be more honest and courageous to tell them directly," Mr Shirley said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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