Will Sarkozy Fulfill The Paris Pact?

By Beverly Darling
WorldNews.com Correspondent
Sun 2 Sep 2007
WN

...Most important though, almost eighty years ago this same week France’s Foreign Minister Aristide Briand drafted the Paris Pact, also known as the Kellogg-Briand Pact. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the Paris Pact, it was a treaty that challenged the world to completely renounce war as an instrument of national policy. Initially, fifteen countries signed the treaty including the United States, Great Britain, Germany Italy, Czechoslovakia, Japan and Poland. Virtually every nation would agree to the pact as it became an epoch-making step towards universal peace.

The treaty begins by stating that it is each countries ‘Deeply sensible and solemn duty to promote the welfare of mankind; persuaded that the time has come when a frank renunciation of war, to the end that the peaceful and friendly relations now existing between their peoples may be perpetual.’ It continues ‘…changes in their relations with one another should be sought only by pacific means and be the means of a peaceful and orderly process.’

Article One of the pact reiterates that nations should ‘…solemnly declare, in the names of their respective peoples, that they condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies and renounce it as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another.’ Article Two then states that if ‘…conflicts arise among nations, whatever origin they may be, it must be solved by pacific means.’ The pact concludes by saying ‘…this Treaty shall remain open as long as may be necessary for adherence by all the other Powers of the world.’

In a world that just suffered a major global war costing the lives of million of people, this agreement was a milestone of postwar good faith and trust in the intent of nations and humankind. Unfortunately, the world-wide Great Depression drove people to fear and despair causing many nations to look for political saviors, sometimes in the guise of military dictators, demagogues or imperial leaders. Although the Paris Pact had no means of enforcement, it was still a tremendous expression of hope, peace and idealism.

Will President Sarkozy fulfill the Paris Treaty and its call for complete renunciation of war and aggression? Already he has traveled to Iraq for three days of ‘listening’ to different the views of Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians. President Sarkozy claims to be committed to Iraq’s national reconciliation, its inclusive dialogue and he is ready to offer assistance for a country that ‘feels abandoned’ and has ‘fallen prey to a culture of violence.’ He has also admitted that there is no lasting military solution in Iraq and that there must be a clear time table for U.S. troops to withdraw.

President Sarkozy recently took a leading role in freeing Bulgarian nurses imprisoned in Libya and has offered to open negotiations with Syria in a ‘spectacular way.’ Even though he is rebuilding France’s own nuclear-arms program while calling on Iraq to ‘honor its commitment’ to reveal its nuclear enrichment program, President Sarkozy has warned that an attack or use of military force against Iran by the U.S. would be ‘catastrophic.’ He recently called for ‘intense action’ in vowing to bring about a ceasefire in Darfur and has shown inclusiveness by calling on the G8 to become the G13 by adding China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

As relations appear to be improving between France and the U.S., perhaps President Sarkozy, like General Lafayette, can come to the aid of the U.S. and persuade America’s Man Of War and militaristic culture to admit that ‘Chirac was right to oppose the war in Iraq…it was a mistake…and the methods now being used to rebuild Iraq have failed and as the U.S. always uses coercion, it only raises fears in the Middle East.’ This is the kind of revolution America needs today.

President Sarkozy said, ‘The troubles in Iraq lies at the heart to the world’s problems’ and that he would like to ‘restore hope, build a lasting peace and start anew.’ A good place to begin in giving the world a ‘fresh look’ is the Paris Pact. The ideas of war remain alive while the pursuit of disarmament and peace are dead. Can he, will he re-open and fulfill the Paris Pact and resurrect a lasting peace?

In the end, Until every country renounces war, and pre-emptive aggression is banished from the face of the earth (which is what happened to Iraq), there will be no lasting perpetual peace.

Beverly Darling - beverly@wn.com

(Beverly Darling received her Masters in Theology and her Bachelors in History and Philosophy. She currently teaches U.S. and World History and works with at-risk youth. Beverly also served in a Guatemala Refugee Camp and has traveled throughout Mexico, Panama and Canada. For several years she ministered to the urban poor and rural populations of the U.S.)