REMARKS BY THE SPOKESPERSON

FRANCE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

July 12, 2002

Excerpts

About Iraq. Do you think you can manage to convince the Americans that a strike against Iraq might have very serious consequences for the region?  

I don't think that there are any new elements. Of course, the minister discussed this with his counterpart, Mr. Powell, saying it was urgent to keep up the pressure on Iraq so that Baghdad complies with the U.N. resolutions and admits the inspectors. We very strongly support, as Mr. de Villepin reaffirmed, the U.N. secretary-general's initiatives to try to get the inspectors back soon. That's important. Saddam Hussein would be well advised to let the inspectors return promptly. We also repeated our view to Mr. Powell that the Security Council must be consulted before any new action.  

What did he say?  

Ask him. Here are a lot of rumors going around about intervention. For all that, as far as France knows and as Mr. de Villepin said yesterday, the intervention isn't imminent.