Today's Date:

1. The Iraqi people must take control of their own future, both at home, where a representative and sovereign Government must be re-established as speedily as possible by the Iraqis themselves, and within the international community, to which Iraq must soon return.

2. There are many challenges. The situation in the country remains unstable. Security has not yet been fully restored. The humanitarian situation of the people remains precarious. Economic and social reconstruction will take time and require the energetic, ongoing mobilization of the international community. A political process leading to the establishment of representative institutions that respect the rights of each Iraqi has yet to be launched.

3. The resolution that we have just adopted is not perfect. Significant improvements, however, were introduced at each stage of the negotiations. We believe that it now provides a credible framework within which the international community will be able to lend support to the Iraqi people. That is why we supported it. Now, all of its potential must be fully exploited in order, without further ado, to undertake the effort of rebuilding Iraq in all areas:

- security must be restored as soon as possible throughout the territory of Iraq. The resolution affirms the obligations of the occupying powers in this area, in conformity with their obligations under international humanitarian law;

- it also recalls that the verified disarmament of Iraq remains our shared objective and in this regard preserves the role of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Only the international inspectors can, in due course, reassure the international community that this objective has been attained;

- with the lifting of civilian sanctions and the forthcoming resumption of petroleum exports, Iraq should have the resources necessary to rebuild its economy and improve the humanitarian and social situations of its people. The resolution recalls that these resources, which belong to the Iraqi people, will have to be used exclusively for their benefit and in the greatest possible transparency. The International Advisory and Monitoring Board of the Development Fund for Iraq, established under the resolution, will serve as guarantor in that respect;

- the resolution also provides for a gradual winding-down of the Oil-for-Food programme. We must ensure that this transfer of responsibilities takes place in an orderly manner in practice – that is, in a manner compatible with the improvement of the humanitarian situation of the Iraqis, the credibility of the United Nations and respect for Iraq’s commitments;

- in the area of humanitarian affairs and reconstruction, and in particular in the political sphere, the resolution substantiates the essential role of the United Nations, which France, alongside many others, has tirelessly defended. More than ever before, the strong and independent involvement of the United Nations in defining and leading the political process will condition the success of this exercise – in other words, its ownership by the Iraqi people and its acceptance by countries of the region and by the international community. The stability of Iraq, and hence of the entire region, is at stake. We also believe that the process of political transition in Iraq will gain in effectiveness and credibility if a precise procedure and timetable for establishing a representative and internationally-recognized Iraqi Government are defined.

- we have every faith that the Secretary-General will nominate the best possible Special Representative. We assure him in advance of our full support.

4. The resolution that we have just adopted attributes to the occupying powers broad authorities in the area of international humanitarian law and the necessary means to exercise those authorities. By voting in favour of the resolution, France sought to express its support for this difficult endeavour, which now involves the entire international community. These broad authorities entail responsibilities vis-à-vis:

- first, the Iraqi people, who must take their own destiny into their own hands as soon as possible;

- and secondly, the international community, because it has recognized the existence of the rights and obligations of the Authority and addressed specific requests to it. The Security Council must therefore continue to be closely involved in the situation in Iraq, in particular through the information which the Special Representative, the United States and the United Kingdom will regularly provide it, pursuant to the resolution.

It will reassess all the provisions of the resolution within 12 months’ time, at the latest./.