STATEMENT BY JOSCHKA FISCHER
GERMAN FEDERAL FOREIGN MINISTER

GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

May 15, 2002

Federal Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer made the following statement today (15 May 2002) regarding the decision of the UN Security Council to introduce a more closely targeted sanctions regime for Iraq:

"The Federal Government welcomes yesterday's decision by the UN Security Council to place the sanctions regime for Iraq on a new footing.

For the first time, resolution 1409 contains a detailed and comprehensive list of all goods that Iraq is not permitted to import. At the same time, supplying goods for civilian use has once again been greatly simplified. The Iraqi leadership must now finally make full use of this further widening of the scope of what can be supplied for humanitarian purposes for its needy population.

Moreover, the decisions of the UN Security Council demonstrate the political consensus not to allow production and distribution of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq. The international community must now put political pressure on Iraq at all levels in order to ensure implementation of the resolution.

Iraq must cooperate unconditionally with the United Nations, fulfill its international obligations and allow the UN weapons inspectors into the country without delay. It is thus within Iraq's power to provide its people with hope for a solution, and to be rehabilitated as a member of the international community of states."