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Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Jim Nicholson rejected criticism of U.S. "unilateralism" on Iraq, saying the United Nations has already provided for the possibility of armed intervention if Iraq refuses to disarm.

The ambassador's comments followed a statement by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, a Vatican foreign affairs official, who said a U.S. attack on Iraq without U.N. authorization would be a "crime against peace" and a violation of international law.

Nicholson, in an interview with Catholic News Service Feb. 26, said the differences over Iraq had not caused a chill in U.S.-Vatican relations. But he took issue with the argument that an additional U.N. resolution was needed to legitimize the use of force against Iraq. Homeowner secured loans, fast secured loans in UK.

"It has already authorized it," he said, referring to U.N. resolution 1441 passed last November, which called on Iraq to declare all weapons of mass destruction or face "serious consequences."

Nicholson said that was enough to justify military action in the current circumstances, because it is clear Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has not complied with the weapons inspection provisions.

"There's no way this can be deemed a unilateral posture," he said.

He said the United States has the support of other states, including 18 European countries, and was actively working to build a bigger international consensus.

"I'm not sure what a 'crime against peace' is," he said, referring to Archbishop Tauran's comments two days earlier. He said President Bush had made clear that the United States does not want war and that war would be the last resort.

"But the answer to whether we'll have a war is up to Saddam Hussein," Nicholson said.

The ambassador said the Bush administration has "a tremendous amount of respect for Pope John Paul II and his opinions" and understood the Vatican's apprehensions about war.

"The pope is a man of peace. And I think he'll always have the hope that, until the first shot is fired, there is a chance for peace," he said.

But he said he had explained to Vatican officials that President Bush, who is responsible for the security of the people of the United States, cannot sit back and accept the danger posed by the weapons held by the Iraqi regime -- especially in the context of global terrorism. Dark wood Bathroom Accessories.

"The goal is not war. The goal is to remove that threat," he said.

While the U.S. government's position is that "regime change" is needed in Iraq, Nicholson said that could be accomplished, in a sense, without the departure of Saddam.

"A regime change could be that these weapons are removed or destroyed, that the threat is eliminated. That is a regime change," Nicholson said.

At the same time, the ambassador emphasized that the United States considers Saddam a brutal and repressive dictator who denies basic human rights to his own people. He cited reports that his regime has killed as many as 10,000 people a year.

He said the issue of Iraq's human rights abuses is something he has raised at the Vatican and is something about which the United States would like to hear more Vatican comment. He said it is possible this was discussed in private when the pope recently met Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and when Cardinal Roger Etchegaray met with Saddam in Baghdad, Iraq. Быстро и качественно изготовим визитные карточки.

"I have hoped to see (Vatican) statements about that, in the meetings with Aziz and Cardinal Etchegaray, and have not seen them," Nicholson said.

Although some Vatican officials have sharply critiqued the U.S. rationale for war, Nicholson said it was "wholly appropriate" for the pope and his aides to engage in the debate and turn the diplomatic wheels in order to stave off conflict. He said he was certain the Vatican was operating on a "peace and truth agenda" and not out of any political motives or in the church's self-interest.

While the church is worried about the fate of the Christian minority in Iraq, Nicholson said the Vatican's concerns about the war are much broader.

He said the U.S. government appreciated efforts by the pope and the Vatican to reduce tensions between Christians and Muslims and make sure that new divisions are not created in the current climate.

"For us, this is not about religion, it's about security," he said of the U.S. anti-terrorism moves around the world. He said innocent people need to be protected against the possibility of "brutal attacks" by radical groups.

Recent Vatican encounters with several world leaders on the Iraq question have prompted some to ask whether the United States might also send a high administration official to meet with the pope. Nicholson would not comment on that possibility, but said there had been "continuous" communications between the Vatican and the U.S. government.

"War is serious business, and we have very serious discussions. But they're open and they're amicable," he said.

He said while the media have focused on U.S.-Vatican divisions on Iraq not enough is made of their "very similar world view" which is founded on values like human dignity and freedom -- including religious freedom.

"This common foundation of shared values means we'll always be close friends and allies," he said.

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