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General Federation of Trade Unions Dear Brothers and Sisters, We, the members of the Executive Committee of the General Confederation of Trade Unions representing national trade unions centres and industrial trade union internationals in the Commonwealth of Independent States, having gathered for an Executive meeting in Moscow, reiterate our full solidarity with the people and workers of Iraq who have been subjected to an act of unprovoked aggression by the USA, Great Britain and their close accomplices. |
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The US ambition to decide the fortunes of world nations, in defiance of international public opinion and in violation of the fundamental rules of international law, has led to another bloodshed causing death to innocent civilians, including children, elderly people and women. The price to be paid for this aggression is not only the loss of human life and the tremendous destruction, but also the long-term aftermath that will tell upon the state of Iraqi society for decades to come, i.e. mutilated destinies, widows, orphans, a paralysed economy and a polluted environment. |
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The war on Iraq may also destabilise dramatically the whole region, and result in a humanitarian catastrophe, a further delay in addressing the most burning issues, and an escalation in violence. The refusal to look for peaceful diplomatic ways of settling the situation, and the choice in favour of military action have jeopardised the efforts by the world community to build a reliable and civilised framework of international relations where the concept of sovereignty would not be a mere name. |
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The General Confederation of Trade Unions condemns resolutely this cynical act of aggression that inflicts suffering on millions of Iraqi workers and their families. We hereby express our fraternal solidarity with the General Federation of Trade Unions, and with the entire people of Iraq who are defending heroically their right to sovereignty. We demand that an immediate stop be put to the hostilities and discussion of the issue be resumed within the United Nations Organisation.
Executive Committee Moscow, 4 April 2003 |
