Madam President,

I'd like to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his detailed and enlightening report on the situation in Iraq and the United Nations activities in the field in the context of UNSCR 1483. My warm thanks go also to his Special Representative, Mr Sergio Vieira de Mello, and the entire team working with him in particularly difficult conditions. I welcome the presence among us of Ms Aqila al-Hashimi, Mr Adnan Pachachi and Mr Ahmad Chalabi, members of the recently formed interim Governing Council. We listened to them with much interest and attention.

France's position, on which Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin has spoken publicly several times in the past few days, is well-known, as is the European Union position stated yesterday at the General Affairs Council of European foreign ministers. I will just mention some of the main points.

What are our objectives? France wishes to see Iraq's political and economic reconstruction succeed. Like the Secretary-General, we are convinced that the political solution has to take precedence over a military one. We wish to see Iraqi sovereignty restored quickly. The Iraqi people, exhausted by two wars, 12 years of sanctions and several decades of political repression and human rights violations, have suffered enough. It is incumbent on the international community to help the Iraqis recover control of their future and resources without delay. In this spirit, the recent formation of an interim Governing Council in Baghdad, with certain executive and budgetary powers, is a positive first step towards the formation of a representative and internationally-recognized government established by the Iraqi people.

Like the Secretary-General, France considers this body to be a partner which the UN and international community should be able to deal with as a first component of the Iraqi interim administration, the establishment of which is sought in paragraph 9 of UNSCR 1483. It will be essential to complete this first step by continuing the process of national and regional dialogue. We are pleased with the active role, appreciated by all, which the Secretary-General's Special Representative took in the establishment of this council.

How are these objectives to be achieved? France fully supports the approach of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, in particular on the following five points:

- Point one: we completely share his analysis and proposals on the political transition process and his resolve to work as a matter of priority for respect for human rights. The promotion of human rights and women's rights must be central to the efforts to rebuild the State and nation.

The establishment of a roadmap and a specific timetable are highly pertinent recommendations which deserve to be implemented. The Iraqis need to see a credible and visible political future on the horizon in order to rediscover hope and to mobilize constructively to make the political transition a success. As the Secretary-General said, "There is a pressing need to set out a clear and specific sequence of events leading to the end of military occupation".

- Point two: we also fully subscribe to the method followed and advocated by the Secretary-General and his Special Representative which is based on inclusive dialogue in Iraq at the national and regional levels. At the national level, only an inclusive process can result in the emergence of a sovereign and legitimate government representing all the constituents of Iraqi society, a pluralist government that respects the rights and liberties of all. In addition, as the Secretary-General emphasizes, "the regional dimension is extremely important", and only a process involving Iraq's neighbours will ensure the emergence of a government that will be accepted and recognized. This is a fundamental element for the stabilization of the region.

- Point three: we also concur with the presentation made by the Secretary-General about the distribution of roles between the United Nations and the coalition in the context of UNSCR 1483. In this limited context, it is incumbent on the coalition provisional authority, not the UN, to administer Iraq, to be responsible for the welfare of the population and to restore security and stability in the country.

- Point four: we fully support the various proposals made by the Secretary-General and his Special Representative for the gradual development of United Nations responsibilities. We support in particular the establishment of a United Nations assistance mission to Iraq and the establishment of a work programme before the end of the year, focused on facilitating the political transition, promoting human rights, humanitarian assistance and an orderly end to the oil-for-food programme.

We think these activities should be progressively expanded, as the Secretary-General proposes, to include a real central role in the conduct of political dialogue and the drafting of a new constitution. The expansion should also lead to active participation in technical assistance with reforms, whether in regard to electoral assistance, the establishment of the rule of law or reforms in the judicial system, public administrations and services. We believe that only the United Nations has the legitimacy, impartiality and expertise to ensure the effectiveness of the process to restore the State. It is essential to maintain its independence, the guarantee of legitimacy. As the Secretary-General proposes, the United Nations would also be an excellent body to lead the process of demobilizing and reintegrating former soldiers, the success of which is crucial for the lasting stabilization of the country.

- Point five: we encourage the Secretary-General to take an ambitious approach to the United Nations role in the process of Iraq's economic and financial reconstruction. Increased mobilization by the international community requires promoting transparency in the financial, trade and economic mechanisms now being set up.

In this spirit, it seems to us essential that the future International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) of the Development Fund for Iraq should play the role set out in UNSCR 1483 and indeed have the authority to verify that Iraqi oil resources are used satisfactorily in accordance with paragraphs 13 and 14 of UNSCR 1483. We also think it is equally important that the oil-for-food programme should be ended in an orderly, transparent and effective manner, without discrimination among suppliers.

We wish to see the donors' efforts part of an appropriate multilateral framework and we are in favour of holding a donor conference in October and setting up a multilateral special fund to be managed collectively under the aegis of UNDP and the international financial institutions. Lastly, we believe it is essential that the process of economic reconstruction, particularly the rehabilitation of the oil sector, should be launched with full respect for the applicable international law, in particular the Geneva Conventions and The Hague Regulations.

Madam President,

UNSCR 1483 allowed the Security Council to recover its unity. It nonetheless remains a limited and imperfect framework. France is convinced that everyone would benefit from the establishment of a real international partnership and a comprehensive approach to security, political, economic and social problems, that would place the United Nations truly at the centre of the process of reconstruction. We note with interest that the debate and the discussions are beginning to move in this direction. Prolonged instability and insecurity in Iraq would be detrimental to all. We are concerned about the present situation which has caused the sad deaths of American and British soldiers. Winning the peace is in the general interest of the Iraqis, the countries in the region, the coalition and the international community as a whole. France will continue to assume her responsibilities as a member of the Security Council with vigilance, in an open and constructive spirit.

The Iraqi people can count on our sense of responsibility and our solicitude to help rebuild their country and get it back on its feet. Thank you./.