Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 06, 2003
Germany Urges Iraq to Give Clear Answers to US Charges
Iraq should give clear answers to questions put forward by top United Nations weapons inspectors in their report last week and charges made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said.
Germany Urges Iraq to Give Clear Answers to US Charges
Iraq should give clear answers to questions put forward by top United Nations weapons inspectors in their report last week and charges made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said.
"Iraq should give clear answers to questions put by Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, and new elements provided by Secretary of State Colin Powell," Fischer told reporters after presiding over an open meeting of the UN Security Council.
During the meeting, Powell made an audio-visual presentation accusing Iraq of hiding banned weapons, having links to terrorist groups and trying to produce nuclear weapons.
Fischer said the information presented by Powell at the meetingshould be examined carefully and be transferred to the hands of inspectors.
Answering questions whether he is convinced by Powell's presentation, Fischer said that experts in his country have yet tolook into the provided materials and any political decision shouldbe based on facts and evidence.
Fischer, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, repeated his calls for Iraq to cooperate fully with inspectors.
The success of the two top weapons inspectors' trip to Baghdad is "of paramount importance" and whether it is successful depends on active cooperation on the Iraqi side, he stressed.
"Precisely because of the effectiveness of the work of the inspectors, we must continue to seek peaceful solution to the crisis," Fischer said.