Jack Straw: Six tests' to measure Iraqi compliance

The British ambassador to the UN is circulating six tests by which Iraqi compliance would be measured, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said.

The Foreign Secretary's statement in full follows...

Four months ago, in Resolution 1441, the United Nations gave Iraq a final opportunity to disarm by co-operation, or face serious consequences.

We have been working flat out in recent days for agreement on a second resolution. That process is now coming to a conclusion. A decision will have to be taken by the end of this week.

In order to seek the widest consensus, Sir Jeremy Greenstock is now discussing further amendments to our draft with Security Council partners. And he is circulating six tests by which Iraqi compliance would be measured. Each of those tests is demanding, but deliverable. They are:

1. a statement by Saddam Hussein admitting that he has concealed weapons of mass destruction, but will no longer produce or retain weapons of mass destruction;
2. deliver at least 30 scientists for interview outside Iraq, with their families;
3. surrender all anthrax, or credible evidence of destruction;
4. complete the destruction of all Al Samoud missiles;
5. account for all unmanned aerial vehicles, including details of any testing of spraying devices for chemical and biological weapons;
6. surrender all mobile chemcial and biological production facilities.

These tests are not traps. Every one of them could be met promptly, if only Saddam Hussein were to make the strategic choice to co-operate with the UN.

All of us involved in this - the Prime Minister, Sir Jeremy Greenstock in New York, and myself - will continue to devote all our energies, every waking minute, to our efforts to reach agreement in the Security Council.

Throughout this process, our objective has been to work through the UN, and to strengthen the UN system by showing that it can handle a crisis of this gravity. Despite the threats to veto our resolution, whatever the circumstances, we still think this is the right approach. It is in the UK's national interest, and in the interests of the UN as a whole.

It can only damage the UN's authority if the Security Council fails to carry out what it said it would do in Resolution 1441. We will continue to do all we can to avoid that outcome.

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