Mr President, it seems hard to believe that the disunity of the world community as a whole, and the European Union in particular, could reach a lower point than when the 'gang of 8' prime ministers signed their ill-judged letter backing the USA on Iraq. But we are now plumbing new depths of public bickering, with the splits spreading from the UN and the EU to include Nato. Anarchy reigns in our international institutions, and that only provides comfort to Saddam Hussein. If we are to prevent these fissures becoming a chasm, our governments must draw back from their quarrels, return to first principles and move forward on the basis of what unites them. The United Nations, Nato, the European Communities – these institutions have served us well, and they are too valuable to be abandoned in the face of current differences of approach. And if that requires America to show a little patience, that is no bad thing. Public opinion in the US is less united than President Bush pretends – over a third still want a new UN vote to authorise any conflict, and almost a quarter do not want US troops to be sent to Iraq at all. When a former president pleads for patience, and leading Democrat Senator John Kerry hopes for an America: 'where military might is not clouded by our need for oil', is there really bipartisan backing for President Bush, to give him the credibility he needs? Democracy can be difficult, and building support for a position often takes time and good arguments. But it is better to take the time to do it and get it right than to launch into a course of action, half cock. Liberals therefore congratulate the Greek Presidency on convening next Monday's meeting. We trust that all governments will attend. They should come prepared to listen and to seek common ground, not simply to repeat their well-known positions. Europe's leaders too should take care not to overplay their hand. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is rightly following the maxim that they should prepare for the worst while continuing to hope for the best, by making contingency plans for a possible refugee crisis. As a collective defence organisation, Nato should be guided by the same principle, and it is the responsibility of every Nato country to support Turkey's request for assistance under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Given the reservations he expressed last time, Dr Hans Blix's report on Friday will carry particular significance. Those who call for more inspectors should heed his remark that: 'the principal problem is not the number of inspectors but rather the active cooperation of the Iraqi side'. At the same time, if he reports progress towards active cooperation, the US and Britain should give the UN process the space to work. Amid all this gloom, perhaps we can take comfort from one ray of hope. When the inspectors report again on Friday, the eyes of the world will again be focused on the UN Security Council. It will be the body which represents the ultimate authority of the international community and considers Iraq's fate. We should welcome the fact that the UN, established to preserve world peace, is at the heart of the process. Let us keep it there. (Applause)

Political group: ELDR