ANOTHER WH LIE

[Demi_Babe]

Costa Rica Wants to Be Off Coalition List

MARIANELA JIMENEZ

Associated Press


SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Costa Rica's Constitutional Court has ruled that the country's name cannot be included by the United States as part of a "coalition" in the Iraq conflict, and Costa Rican officials are demanding their country be stricken from the list.

Costa Rica apparently never formally joined the U.S.-led coalition, but its name was listed on a White House Web page of coalition members, sparking outrage in a country where the Iraq war is enormously unpopular.

Following Wednesday's ruling, Costa Rica - which never sent any troops to Iraq, in part because it has no army - is making it clear it does not want to be listed as a member of the coalition.

A White House Web site still had the country listed on Thursday. The U.S. Embassy said it was still reviewing the court's action and had no immediate comment.

Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar said his government planned to send a letter to the U.S. government later Thursday asking that Costa Rica be removed from the so-called "coalition of the willing."

"As fellow democracies, which we are, they will understand that we are respectful of judicial decisions," he said.

The seven-justice court ruled that the inclusion of Costa Rica violated the country's constitution. The ruling came on a motion by Attorney General Farid Beirute, who argued the constitution bars support for military action that is not authorized by the United Nations. He also said the list violates the country's pacifist constitutional principles.

Controversy over the issue erupted when local newspapers noted that the White House had listed Costa Rica as a member of the coalition "that has already begun military operations to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction."

Tovar and President Abel Pacheco acknowledged signing a statement of support for the United States on March 19, 2003, that is quoted on the White House Web site, but they insisted it was support merely for the fight against terrorism - not for an invasion of Iraq, as the U.S. statement implied.

The White House page in question reads "Forty-nine countries are publicly committed to the Coalition, including ... Costa Rica."

Dated Feb. 4, 2004, the Web page continues: "Contributions from Coalition member nations range from: direct military participation, logistical and intelligence support, specialized chemical/biological response teams, over-flight rights, humanitarian and reconstruction aid, to political support."

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/9620247.htm