http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...p_wo_en_ge/as_gen_non_aligned_east_timor_us_2
By JASBANT SINGH, Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Saying the U.S. government deserves more credit for its Iraqi policy, East Timor (news - web sites)'s Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta on Saturday criticized what he called "illogical anti-Americanism" fueled by fears of a U.S.-led attack on Baghdad.
Nobel Peace laureate Horta made his comments ahead of a two-day summit of the 114-nation Non-Aligned Movement starting Monday, when his country and one other are to formally join the bloc of mostly developing nations. The other new member is St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Many member nations have vigorously assailed U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s plans to disarm Iraq by force if necessary. But Horta said Bush's stance has persuaded Baghdad to show more cooperation with U.N. demands that it destroy any of its weapons of mass destruction.
"If President Bush had not threatened to go to war in a credible manner by building forces in the region, would Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) have invited the weapons inspectors back?" Horta told reporters.
"Did he invite them back because of the charming French attitude or because of the German pacifist attitude, or because he knows that George W. Bush means business?" he said, referring to France and Germany's refusal to endorse a military assault on Iraq.
Millions of people participated in anti-war demonstrations worldwide last weekend and flayed the U.S. for its hawkish stance toward Iraq, which it accuses of having banned weapons of mass destruction — something Iraq has denied.
Horta said he did "not agree with the almost irrational, illogical anti-Americanism that we see in the peace movement ... as if the Americans are the ones who have to prove whether Saddam Hussein is fulfilling — implementing or not — his obligations."
"The Americans don't have to prove anything," Horta said. "I find it ... not terribly intelligent for people to say what the Americans want is the oil of Iraq. Please, are the Americans that stupid that they need to have the oil of Iraq maybe to invade it?"
Horta, however, said he questioned whether there was "enough reason to go to war" even if Saddam was found to have not fully complied with U.N. Security Council resolutions.
"I argue for the U.S. as a superpower in the world ... to be more patient," he said.
Foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement on Saturday endorsed the memberships of East Timor and former British colony St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The two countries will formally boost the movement's members to 116 on Monday.
East Timor was a Portuguese colony until Indonesia took it over in 1975. Its people voted for independence in an August 1999 referendum.
By JASBANT SINGH, Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Saying the U.S. government deserves more credit for its Iraqi policy, East Timor (news - web sites)'s Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta on Saturday criticized what he called "illogical anti-Americanism" fueled by fears of a U.S.-led attack on Baghdad.
Nobel Peace laureate Horta made his comments ahead of a two-day summit of the 114-nation Non-Aligned Movement starting Monday, when his country and one other are to formally join the bloc of mostly developing nations. The other new member is St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Many member nations have vigorously assailed U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s plans to disarm Iraq by force if necessary. But Horta said Bush's stance has persuaded Baghdad to show more cooperation with U.N. demands that it destroy any of its weapons of mass destruction.
"If President Bush had not threatened to go to war in a credible manner by building forces in the region, would Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) have invited the weapons inspectors back?" Horta told reporters.
"Did he invite them back because of the charming French attitude or because of the German pacifist attitude, or because he knows that George W. Bush means business?" he said, referring to France and Germany's refusal to endorse a military assault on Iraq.
Millions of people participated in anti-war demonstrations worldwide last weekend and flayed the U.S. for its hawkish stance toward Iraq, which it accuses of having banned weapons of mass destruction — something Iraq has denied.
Horta said he did "not agree with the almost irrational, illogical anti-Americanism that we see in the peace movement ... as if the Americans are the ones who have to prove whether Saddam Hussein is fulfilling — implementing or not — his obligations."
"The Americans don't have to prove anything," Horta said. "I find it ... not terribly intelligent for people to say what the Americans want is the oil of Iraq. Please, are the Americans that stupid that they need to have the oil of Iraq maybe to invade it?"
Horta, however, said he questioned whether there was "enough reason to go to war" even if Saddam was found to have not fully complied with U.N. Security Council resolutions.
"I argue for the U.S. as a superpower in the world ... to be more patient," he said.
Foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement on Saturday endorsed the memberships of East Timor and former British colony St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The two countries will formally boost the movement's members to 116 on Monday.
East Timor was a Portuguese colony until Indonesia took it over in 1975. Its people voted for independence in an August 1999 referendum.