Mr President, I would like to join several other speakers in expressing satisfaction at the conclusions of the General Affairs Council and praising those people who have been involved in this agreement. But we naturally hope for more and we therefore ask that work continue in order to achieve a fundamental consensus between the European Union’s current four representatives on the United Nations Security Council, in the hope that the four will act, at least, in a coordinated fashion. But I believe that that consensus demands at least two things: the first is not to publicise unilateral positions but to debate them with our partners and the second is to be loyal – but not copycats – to our natural allies. Because although it seems obvious, we must remember that in this conflict the person who is threatening world peace, failing to comply with international law and presenting us with the real risk that international terrorists may acquire chemical and bacteriological weapons is Saddam Hussein. And it does not take any great feat of memory to conclude that the only language the Iraqi Government understands from the international community is firmness. And this firmness is not credible if we say beforehand that in no event, whatever happens, can the use of force be justified, as the President of my group quite rightly said. This is not pacifism, it is demagoguery and irresponsibility. In order to genuinely work for peace, what we have to do is act decisively against violations of international law and against repeated non-compliance with the resolutions of the United Nations. We believe that the European Union should continue to explore all political and diplomatic avenues in order to resolve the conflict in a peaceful manner, with our allies, as is natural, and also, and in particular, with our friends, the Arab nations. I would remind you of the unanimous support of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council for Resolution 1441, because this is not a religious conflict or a conflict between civilisations – incidentally, it would be good to take this opportunity to relaunch Euro-Mediterranean relations. In order to be credible, the European Union must be prepared to make its contribution to guaranteeing and preserving international peace and security. The inspectors’ reports to the Security Council are conclusive in terms of the non-compliance with Resolution 1441. They are not being given the required assistance to carry out their work and they are not being given the evidence to show that weapons of mass destruction have been eliminated, and the simple fact that terrorist groups may acquire these weapons should be cause for alarm on the part of the international community. The Iraqi regime today has a new opportunity; let us pray that it takes that opportunity and that we can all prevent anything worse from happening. But if the Iraqi Government persists in ignoring the requirements demanded of it, not for just a month or two, but since April 1991, when Resolution 687 was adopted, democratic parliaments such as the European Parliament must demand of the executive powers that they meet their responsibilities. Democratic and responsible governments must not make decisions on the basis of opinion polls, which are variable, but by informing the public, engaging in political debate but defending the higher principles at stake, such as international peace and security, not the price of oil. And periodically, by means of democratic elections, the citizens will judge whether the governments, and also the oppositions, have made the right decisions.

Political group: PPE-DE