24/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Peter Schieder, has condemned the unilateral use of force against Iraq. "There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein is a dictator responsible for massive violations of human rights against the Iraqi people (…) But the response of the US government and its allies is disproportionate to the threat that the Iraqi regime represents. There was no evidence for "pre-emptive self-defence". "No country, irrespective of its size or military power, has the right to so blatantly disregard the authority of the United Nations". The Secretary General of the pan-European organisation, Walter Schwimmer also regretted that diplomacy should have given way to armed intervention, the end results of which weakens the United Nations. He calls on the protection of civilians and the respect of international humanitarian law.