STATEMENT BY THE SPOKESPERSON

FRANCE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

August 27, 2002

Excerpts

Q - Do you have any comment on the deaths of eight people in Bassora, in southern Iraq, in a recent U.S. air strike?

I don't have any more detailed information but our position on this issue has not changed. You know our thinking on this type of strike, and this sad event confirms our questions and doubts.

Q - But the list of victims is growing longer, and there's scant international reaction to the fate of innocent victims.

For my part I can also note that it is up to Iraq to cooperate with the United Nations.

Q - Do you have any comment on Dick Cheney's statements indicating a shift in the justification for preventive strikes?

There is a healthy debate going on in the United States. Our own position has not changed. We consider the top priority is for the inspectors to return without delay, unconditionally and without hindrance.

The minister will be discussing it this afternoon at the ambassadors' conference.

Q - You say it's up to Iraq to cooperate with the U.N. In the spokesperson's mind, to avoid air strikes?

No, the consideration is more general. Today, Iraq's interest lies in cooperating with the U.N. President Chirac has said that Iraq would be well advised to do so. We're counting on the Iraqi leaders to understand this need to cooperate.

Q - Mr. Blix said there was no need for a resolution to go back into Iraq. He added there was no proof that the country had weapons of mass destruction. Do you have any comment?

It is correct that the U.N. resolutions require the inspectors to return to Iraq. So there's no need for new resolutions on the return. Talks are currently under way between Iraq and the secretary-general about this. Again, Iraq would be well advised to wrap them up quickly.

Q - If the U.N. tries to send its inspectors, are we sure that Iraq would refuse to admit the men to its territory?

At this time Iraq is not agreeing to the return of U.N. inspectors in the conditions set by the U.N.

Q - Is it willing to agree with conditions?

Talks are continuing, and we have not given up hope of the inspectors being allowed back into Iraq. Without that we would not be urging the Iraqi authorities to take the international point of view into account. On the contrary we're urging the secretary-general to continue his efforts to get Iraq to agree to the inspectors' return. At this point, because of the Iraqi attitude, the conditions are not there for the inspectors to return and do their work in accordance with the U.N. resolutions.

Q - The inspectors were not expelled by Iraq, they were pulled out on the order of the former UNSCOM chairman. Don't you think it's useful to discuss their return?

Q - Are Iraq's conditions known?

Iraq has sent a list of 19 questions, many of which aren't within the secretary-general's competence. They don't call for a response at this stage because they're not directly linked to the inspectors' return.

As for useful discussions, it can be re-explained to the Iraqi authorities what their obligations are, but from our point of view, there are no grounds for negotiating with the Iraqi authorities the conditions in which the inspectors must return since these conditions are spelled out in the resolutions. What the Iraqi authorities are being asked to do is to apply the resolutions. We're not in a situation of negotiation, we must try to get Iraq to agree to the inspectors' return without delay, and we support the secretary-general's efforts to that end.

Q - Have you discussed this with the Americans?

I'm not aware of recent high-level contacts on this matter. We obviously have regular contacts with the American authorities at which we may discuss a lot of issues and where we might share our views on things.

With regard to the situation in Iraq we have as a solid base at this time the work done up to 1998 and we consider that the best way today of ascertaining what's happening in Iraq is for the inspectors to return. It's by far the most effective way . Need I recall that UNSCOM's inspections resulted in the identification and destruction of far more weapons of mass destruction that all the previous military activities?

Q - Are you in contact with the Iraqi authorities?

We do have regular contacts with the Iraqi authorities, mostly through our interests section in Baghdad.

Q - There's been no movement since the 19 points cited in their letter to the United Nations?

Talks are continuing with the U.N. secretary-general.

Q - Did you hear the statement by Egypt's president? In a televised speech he said all the Arab countries were opposed to a U.S. attack on Iraq. Any comment?

Yes, we are well aware of the position of the Egyptian and Jordanian authorities, etc. You can make a useful comparison with the position of various European countries.