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Is the defence of the legitimate interests of the Kuwaiti Government really the concern that has led the United States delegation to act as it is doing now, or is it the hegemonist and interventionist ambitions of the United States in the Middle East? My delegation has no doubt as to what the answers to those questions would be, but the Council and the international community have no reason for any doubt in that regard either.
The draft resolution before us was originally received by all of us in an almost identical version when it was faxed to us from the United States Mission at 5.48 p.m. on Friday, 3 August. Now an attempt is being made to justify this on the ground that Iraq has failed to carry out the withdrawal of its forces from Kuwaiti territory or by interpreting various statements made at Baghdad on Sunday or what has been said here by the Permanent Representative of Iraq. But that is not the truth.
The plan to impose sanctions on Iraq actually existed before we entered this new phase of Security Council deliberations, at a time when no one even knew about the statement made by the Iraqi Government, also on 3 August, to the effect that it was going to commence the withdrawal of its troops from Kuwait. But apart from this, while we were discussing or negotiating or holding consultations on this draft resolution, the United States Government sent a contingent of marines to the territory of Liberia. I do not recall any consultations held on that subject. I am not aware of any Security Council resolution or request made by any group of States to invite United States marines to enter the territory of Liberia without permission. Yet there they are and the United States has said, there they will remain for as long as they consider necessary.
