PRESS ENCOUNTER WITH KOFI ANNAN
UN SECRETARY GENERAL

UNITED NATIONS

October 17, 2002

Q (Kazakh National Television - NTK, Mukhtar Zhamaikhanov): Mr. Secretary General, the question is, what is your attitude, what do you think about the resolution adopted by the US Congress that the United States can take military action against Iraq without waiting for any decision made by the Security Council of the United Nations or any results of the United Nations inspectors' trip to Iraq?

SG: I think the UN Security Council is discussing this very issue and the United States is very much part of the discussion. And the discussion in New York is to send the inspectors back, possibly with a strengthened resolution that will strengthen the hands of the inspectors and the disarmament effort. And my sense is that that resolution will be adopted by the member states. I think it is important that Iraq complies with the Security Council resolutions, which has come under tremendous pressure almost from countries all over the world asking it to comply, and I hope when the inspectors go there, they will get unfettered access and Iraq will perform. These discussions I referred to in the Security Council are taking place after the US Congress has taken its decision, which would lead me to believe that the US would prefer to work with the Council and with the international community.

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