Today's Date:

Statement issued by Dominique de Villepin, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The task of building peace calls for the mobilization of the whole international community. It demands its unity in the face of the scale of the threats and risks of division.

In this spirit, we have today to devise the framework for post-war Iraq, both to address the urgent humanitarian and security needs and to ensure the success of the political transition. A draft resolution was circulated yesterday and is currently being considered.

For France, the priority is to resolve the problems confronting Iraq today: the sanctions regime, disarmament, management of oil resources and the system to take over from the "Oil-for-Food" programme.

True to her convictions, France is approaching this negotiation in a constructive spirit, working in close cooperation with all her partners. Her goal is to define solutions both in the interests of the Iraqi people and enjoying the broadest possible support of the international community.

Going beyond the emergency phase, the establishment of a stable internationally-recognized democratic Iraqi regime is at the heart of our priorities. Strong involvement of the international community, which has to mean a central role for the United Nations, is vital to ensure its legitimacy. France is ready to play an active part with all her partners in bringing this about./.