US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA448

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000448 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, MOPS, IZ, CA, Iraq, UN 
SUBJECT: IRAQ/UN: CANADIAN REACTION TO FEBRUARY 14 
INSPECTORS' REPORT 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Brian Flora, 
Reasons 15. (b) and (d). 
 
1. (SBU) Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham, speaking to 
the press after the February 14 weapons inspectors' report to 
the UN Security Council, said that the report shows progress 
as well as the need for continued pressure on Iraq.  Graham 
said that while no-one is excluding the use of force, that is 
the last resort, and there is still a chance war can be 
avoided.  Echoing Prime Minister Chretien's February 13 
speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, Graham 
emphasized the importance of staying faithful to the UN 
process and Resolution 1441.  He argued that no country, 
including the United States, intended to move immediately 
against Iraq.  When pressed on whether Canada would 
participate in a military campagin against Iraq that did not 
have UN blessing, Graham refused to speculate. 
 
2. (SBU) Early reaction in the Canadian media was that the 
inspectors' report supports the French argument for continued 
inspections.  Commentators noted that Blix and El-Baradei 
felt there was still useful work to be done, and that they 
are still building their capacity. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: While the GoC continues to keep its options 
open, the inspectors' report does not help our case here in 
the court of public opinion.  Chretien's Liberal Party is 
split over Iraq, with four backbench MPs voting for a 
February 11 opposition resolution  requiring explicit UNSC 
endorsement for action if Canadian were to participate.  So 
long as the inspectors say they are making progress and the 
Security Council is not ready to abandon that process, the 
GoC will find it hard to disagree. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT CONT'D: Graham did tell the press that time is 
"very limited" for Iraq, but the GoC would clearly prefer 
some accommodation between the U.S. and France in the 
Security Council.  In that vein, we note that Graham also 
mentioned he would be discussing Iraq later on February 14 
with the Mexican Foreign Minister.  As for the NATO dispute 
over support to Turkey, Foreign Affairs contacts tell us that 
Graham and Political Director Jim Wright took the French 
Ambassador to task this week over France's continued 
obstruction. 
KELLY