Chile's Approach to the United Nations within the Framework of the Iraq War

Chile's Collaboration in the UN Security Council during the Iraq War (2003-2004)

This article examines Chile's participation as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council during the 2003-2004 biennium, focusing on its approach to the Iraq War. Chile's involvement presented political, social, and economic challenges, aiming to uphold its international image established since its initial term in 1952. The study analyzes Chile's role in a polarized global environment and its reliance on multilateralism to address the Iraq War, which it viewed as a war of choice rather than necessity.

  • The research utilizes primary sources from the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contrasting viewpoints from local newspapers like El Mercurio and La Nación.

Key Concepts

  • United Nations

  • Security Council

  • Cooperation

  • Foreign Policy

  • Multilateralism

Chile's Position and Objectives

  • Initial Challenge (January 2014): Michelle Bachelet's government faced uncertainty as Chile rejoined the Security Council amidst complex international issues like Syria and the Gaza Strip.

  • Historical Reflection: The article emphasizes the importance of remembering Chile's decisive role during its third term on the Security Council (2003-2004) when addressing the Iraq War.

  • Research Questions: The research addresses key questions to understand Chile's international relations history:

    • What was the main lesson for Chile from the Iraq conflict?

    • What impact did the Chilean press have on public opinion?

    • What principles guided Chilean foreign policy?

  • Diplomatic Efforts: The paper highlights Chile's initial diplomatic efforts to manage the Iraq situation.

  • U.S. Autonomy Support: The U.S. has strongly supported Chile's autonomy and unity in expressing its position on the U.S. agenda regarding the invasion of Iraq.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

  • Analysis of Specialists' Mission: The article examines the search for weapons of mass destruction by UN specialists.

  • Chile's Perspective: Chile emphasized the need for Iraq to cooperate and demonstrate disarmament to address concerns about weapons material.

Chile's Role in the International Arena

  • President Lagos' Initiative: Chile, under President Ricardo Lagos, sought peaceful disarmament through a five-point formula as an alternative to war.

Challenges and Considerations

  • Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the U.S.: Chile faced the challenge of balancing its Security Council role with the impending FTA with the U.S., which required Chilean support for the Iraq invasion.

  • Economic Implications: The potential FTA signing and GDP increase by almost two percentage points.

  • U.S. Disappointment: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick expressed disappointment in Chile's lack of support for a direct attack on Iraq.

The Role of the Press

  • Media Influence: The Chilean press played a crucial role in shaping public opinion through its coverage of the Middle East situation.

  • Pressure on the Government: The media put pressure on the government to address the global fear of "weapons of mass destruction."

  • Newspaper Coverage: Chilean newspapers, such as El Mercurio and La Nación, reported on UN weapons inspections and the discovery of empty warheads in Iraq.

Chile's Stance and Diplomacy

  • Emphasis on Time and Legal Order: The Chilean government emphasized the importance of adhering to the legal order and UN resolutions, advocating for Iraq to have sufficient time to cooperate with disarmament efforts.

  • U.S. Opposition: The United States opposed delays, asserting that Iraq's non-cooperation warranted immediate action.

  • Chilean Press Debate: The Chilean press debated the country's potential military contributions to a UN peace enforcement operation.

  • Commitment to International Law: Chile's adherence to international law and the UN Charter influenced its consideration of contributing armed forces to support UN peacekeeping efforts.

Multilateralism and Diplomatic Efforts

  • Multilateral Approach: Chile operated on the principle of multilateralism, awaiting reports from weapons inspectors before making decisions.

  • Lagos' Call: President Lagos emphasized honoring Security Council decisions and allowing multilateral diplomacy to operate.

  • Regional Responsibility: Chile aimed to promote multilateral cooperation and consultation mechanisms as a representative of the Latin American group.

  • Imminent War: Despite Chile's efforts, the imminent war became a reality, raising questions about the role and responsibility of the Security Council's five permanent members.

Internal Conflicts within the Security Council

  • Lack of Consensus: The absence of consensus among the permanent members placed a heavy burden on smaller countries like Chile.

  • Security Council Reform: Discussions arose regarding expanding the number of non-permanent members and regulating the use of the veto by permanent members.

Gathering Diverse Opinions

  • National Consensus: Chile gathered opinions from diverse political and social sectors to formulate its foreign policy on Iraq.

  • Presidential Invitation: President Lagos invited all political parties to express their positions on Iraq, emphasizing it as a national issue.

  • Transcending Government: Chile aimed to establish a foreign policy that transcended the government in power and reflected a sense of citizenship.

Challenges and Contradictions

  • Lack of Cooperation from Iraq: Despite UNMOVIC reports, Iraq's lack of cooperation in disclosing its materials and destruction efforts posed a significant problem.

  • Pseudo-Multilateralism: Concerns arose about pseudo-multilateralism prioritizing personal interests over collective action.

  • Absence of Leadership: The lack of consensus and leadership from the Security Council's permanent members strained the role of non-permanent members.

The Third Way Proposal

  • Joint Initiative: Mexico and Canada proposed a third way, suggesting concrete disarmament tasks with rigid deadlines for Iraq.

  • Division within the Security Council: The Security Council was divided between those favoring invasion (U.S., Britain, Spain) and those preferring extended inspections (France, Germany, Russia, China).

Kofi Annan's Role

  • Consensus Voice: Secretary General Kofi Annan aimed to provide a voice of consensus to prevent the Security Council from fracturing.

UN Criticism and Fragility

  • Constant Criticism: The Security Council and UN faced ongoing criticism regarding their management.

  • Underlying Fragility: The Iraq scenario highlighted the fragility of the Security Council, which had been evident during Chile's previous term (1996-1997).

Monitoring of Undecided Members

  • U.S. Monitoring: The London newspaper The Observer reported that the U.S. was monitoring undecided Security Council members to determine their stance on Iraq.

  • Chilean Investigation: Chilean Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear ordered an investigation into these allegations.

Inspectors' Report and Final Positions

  • Strengthened U.S. Position: The inspectors' report reinforced the White House's position, with Secretary of State Collin Powell citing Iraq's non-cooperation.

  • Chile's Call for Disarmament: Alvear reiterated Chile's commitment to peace and the need for immediate Iraqi disarmament, emphasizing the viability of diplomacy.

  • Criticism of Iraq: Alvear criticized the Iraqi government for exposing its people to suffering.

Focus on Human Rights

  • Civilian Population: The Chilean government advocated for the civilian population and sought legal adjustments to the Oil-for-Food program.

  • Hernán Santa Cruz Barceló: Chile's historical commitment to human rights was highlighted through the contributions of Hernán Santa Cruz Barceló, a drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

  • Chilean Diplomacy: Chilean diplomacy has consistently emphasized a humanitarian, democratic, idealistic, and legal approach.

The Chilean Proposal

  • Five-Point Plan: The Chilean government presented a five-point plan for Iraqi disarmament, seeking international consensus.

  • Key Points of the Proposal:

    • (a) Hussein regime should, within 3 weeks, make available to the competent body 30 scientists who could be interviewed outside the country

    • (b) uncover all mustard gas shells and produce all documents proving their destruction

    • (c) uncover 10,000 litres of anthrax or documents proving its destruction

    • (d) destroy all Al Samud II missiles and their components

    • (e) make public the information on the remote- controlled vehicles and, finally, f) prove that they did not carry chemical weapons

  • U.S. Rejection: Despite some cooperation from Iraq, the United States rejected the Chilean proposal.

Domestic Unity and Support

  • Parliamentary Support: The Chilean government's pursuit of a path with low humanitarian costs garnered unity among parliamentary benches and political sectors.

  • Rejection of Pressure: Sectors expressed support for President Lagos's decision not to be pressured, even if it affected FTA negotiations.

Failure of Diplomatic Efforts

  • Lagos' Mea Culpa: President Lagos acknowledged the failure of diplomatic efforts to prevent the war.

  • Commitment and Responsibility: Lagos emphasized the responsibility of Chile's Security Council membership and its dedication to human rights, consensus, and multilateralism.

International Recognition

  • Tony Blair's Support: British Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledged Chile's constructive approach.

  • Lagos's Message: President Lagos expressed concern for the world and hoped for minimal suffering.

Abandonment of Multilateralism

  • Transatlantic Rupture: The abandonment of multilateralism occurred on March 19, 2003, with the commencement of bombings in Baghdad.

  • Bush's Declaration: President Bush declared, "We expect no result other than victory."

Outcomes and Analysis

  • Strengthened Image: Chile strengthened its image as a small nation with greater aspirations, though its position placed it in a precarious situation with the U.S.

  • Separation of Bilateral Relations: Bilateral relations between Chile and the U.S. were separated from the events within the United Nations, leading to the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on June 6, 2003.

Conclusion

  • Active Role for Chile: The Iraq conflict provided Chile with an opportunity to play a more active role in the Security Council compared to its other terms.

  • Consensual Decisions: Chile conducted itself politically through consensual decisions, despite concerns about the FTA with the United States.

  • Economic Considerations: The economic effects of intervention on the fixed price of oil were considered.

  • Lessons Learned: Chile learned the importance of gathering comprehensive information before making decisions and revitalizing the Security Council through international cooperation.

  • Emphasis on Multilateralism: The Chilean government favored multilateralism as a cornerstone for stable peace and combating terrorism.

  • Role of the Press: The press played a crucial role in connecting power centers with public opinion.

  • No Unilateral Action: Chile understood that no nation should act unilaterally without the support of other nations.

  • Adherence to International Law: Chile adhered to international law and the UN Charter, promoting multilateralism.

  • Key to Joint Development: The United Nations is essential for the joint development of peoples.

  • Need for More Literature: There is a need for more literature on Chile's participation in the United Nations Security Council, particularly from a historical perspective.