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22 October 2002

Bush Continues to Urge Strong U.N. Steps to Disarm Iraq

(White House Report: Bush, Fleischer remark on U.N. debate) (370)
BUSH CONTINUES TO URGE STRONG U.N. STEPS TO DISARM IRAQ
President Bush has again urged the United Nations -- for the sake of
the world body itself and for peace in the world -- to approve a
strongly worded resolution on Iraq that makes clear to the Saddam
Hussein regime that it must disarm.
The U.N. Security Council is currently debating a new draft proposal
on Iraq put forward October 21 by the United States, with the support
of Britain.
"For the sake of having an international body which is effective, the
United Nations must make the resolve, must be resolved to deal with
this person; must resolve itself to be something more than the League
of Nations; must resolve itself to be more than just a debating
society; must resolve itself to help keep international peace," Bush
said October 22.
"It's an important time in our history to determine whether or not
we're going to be a nation which is willing to work with others to
keep the peace," Bush said.
"The answer is, you bet. But if they won't, [if] the United Nations
can't make its mind up, if Saddam Hussein won't disarm, we will lead a
coalition to disarm him for the sake of peace."
Bush made the remarks in Downington, Pennsylvania, and in Bangor,
Maine, where he flew October 22 to campaign for Republican candidates
for political office.
Earlier in the day, on Air Force One en route to Pennsylvania, White
House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer was asked to comment on news
reports that Russia finds the new U.S. proposal on Iraq unacceptable.
Fleischer said he expects "a series of statements, sometimes which are
not supported by what is said in private" as the Security Council
debates how to deal with the Saddam Hussein regime.
"We'll continue the work in the United Nations," Fleischer said. "It
is ongoing. It is coming down to the end. The United Nations does not
have forever, and we'll continue to work it and see when we get an
agreement, if we get an agreement, how to proceed."
The United Nations, Fleischer added, "is entering the final stages on
this, and we would like to see an agreement reached."
Asked if the United States is still opposed to a two-resolution
process, Fleischer said: "Correct, that position remains the same; one
resolution is appropriate."
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)