ABSTRACT
The elimination of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was made a major task of the Security Council in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War. The saga of UN weapons inspections in Iraq was characterized by persistent Iraqi obstruction and non-cooperation. This chapter argues that in circumstances where China’s interests and principles or beliefs clashed, China resorted to its strategic preferences over the course of action, in striking a balance between ‘principles’ and ‘flexibility’. It examines from an historical point of view the backdrop of this saga about weapons inspections and disarmament by international organizations in general, and in Iraq in particular. The chapter addresses issues ranging from accommodating Iraqi sovereignty to disagreements on sanctions and the threat, or use, of force as enforcement measures in implementing relevant resolutions. It also examines the policy options China had over these Security Council resolutions.
