Switzerland Documents U.S.-British War Crimes In Iraq
Khaled Schmidt | 02.04.2003 16:16
BONN, April 1 (IslamOnline.net) – 13 days after the launch of U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Swiss Foreign Ministry has decided to document U.S.-British war crimes against Iraqi civilians on a separate section within its website.
Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy Rey Monday, March 31, told German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the section – operational since Monday morning – gathers information and data from credible and documented sources, adding names of new victims would be added on an hourly basis.
“The initial data available so far reveals the dirtiness of U.S.-British warmongers, the fakeness of their claims about a clean war, as well as their indifference to the lives of innocent, unarmed Iraqi civilians,” Rey, member of the ruling Socialist Democratic Party, added.
She noted that incoming data, days after the start of the invasion, revealed a significant and a dangerous rise in the number of civilian casualties, as a result of attacks carried out by the invading troops.
“Switzerland is a founder and a sponsor of the Geneva Convention, related to the prisoners of wars, civilians and human rights during wars, especially the protection of civilians in war zones. In this capacity, it was imperative for us to do our best to see the Convention is applied, especially, the protection of civilians during wars,” Rey said, adding that was the reason behind establishing the new section.
Since she held her post early this year, Rey adopted what she described as “open diplomacy”. In January, 2003, she called on the U.S. and Iraq to hold a meeting in Switzerland to try to solve the standoff peacefully. The Americans turned down her proposal.
During this week, Rey plans to hold a conference to co-ordinate humanitarian and aid steps in Iraq, as a complementary step to a similar conference she organized a week before the launch of the invasion.
According to the latest poll about the U.S.-led invasion, among the Swiss citizens, majority of them opposes the invasion and denounces the U.S.-British policies.
Almost all Swiss population have set up white flags on their roofs, as a sign of peace and opposition to the ongoing invasion.
The Swiss government opposes using its airports or airspace by U.S.-British military aircrafts. It also refused expelling Iraqi diplomats, a request sought repeatedly by Washington.
Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy Rey Monday, March 31, told German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the section – operational since Monday morning – gathers information and data from credible and documented sources, adding names of new victims would be added on an hourly basis.
“The initial data available so far reveals the dirtiness of U.S.-British warmongers, the fakeness of their claims about a clean war, as well as their indifference to the lives of innocent, unarmed Iraqi civilians,” Rey, member of the ruling Socialist Democratic Party, added.
She noted that incoming data, days after the start of the invasion, revealed a significant and a dangerous rise in the number of civilian casualties, as a result of attacks carried out by the invading troops.
“Switzerland is a founder and a sponsor of the Geneva Convention, related to the prisoners of wars, civilians and human rights during wars, especially the protection of civilians in war zones. In this capacity, it was imperative for us to do our best to see the Convention is applied, especially, the protection of civilians during wars,” Rey said, adding that was the reason behind establishing the new section.
Since she held her post early this year, Rey adopted what she described as “open diplomacy”. In January, 2003, she called on the U.S. and Iraq to hold a meeting in Switzerland to try to solve the standoff peacefully. The Americans turned down her proposal.
During this week, Rey plans to hold a conference to co-ordinate humanitarian and aid steps in Iraq, as a complementary step to a similar conference she organized a week before the launch of the invasion.
According to the latest poll about the U.S.-led invasion, among the Swiss citizens, majority of them opposes the invasion and denounces the U.S.-British policies.
Almost all Swiss population have set up white flags on their roofs, as a sign of peace and opposition to the ongoing invasion.
The Swiss government opposes using its airports or airspace by U.S.-British military aircrafts. It also refused expelling Iraqi diplomats, a request sought repeatedly by Washington.
Khaled Schmidt
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