BELGIUM: GERHARD SCHROEDER PRESS CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS ON BACKING FOR THE LATEST U.S. RESOLUTION ON IRAQ AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL.

Record ID: 647258

  • Title: BELGIUM: GERHARD SCHROEDER PRESS CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS ON BACKING FOR THE LATEST U.S. RESOLUTION ON IRAQ AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL.
  • Date: 16th October 2003
  • Summary: (U4) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 16, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. WS: OF EXTERIORS OF EU COUNCIL BUILDING IN BRUSSELS. 0.04 2. SCU: EUROPEAN FLAG FLYING OUTSIDE EU COUNCIL BUILDING IN BRUSSELS. 0.09 3. WS: GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER ENTERING THE NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM. 0.15 4. MV/PAN: FROM JOURNALISTS TO SCHROEDER. 0.22 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(German) SCHROEDER ANNOUNCING THE COMMON STANDPOINT OF GERMANY FRANCE AND RUSSIA ON THE NEW IRAQ RESOLUTION: "All this has pushed us to back the resolution commonly, but with the addition of a explanatory note - our ambassador is working that out for the moment in New York - of two points. First, that the resolution is a step in the right direction, but the progress in our view is still not an adequate response to the situation on the ground in Iraq, and on those grounds, we do not see ourselves in a position to play a military role there - I had already ruled that out before - or to make a further material contribution beyond what has already been agreed." 1.11 6. WS/PAN: NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM. 1.22 7. SCU: CAMERAMAN FILMING THE NEWS CONFERENCE. 1.25 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(German) SCHROEDER ABOUT FRANCE REPRESENTING GERMANY TOMORROW ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE SUMMIT: "Since we have full agreement with our French counterpart on the European issue, this idea imposed itself so to say. I want to add that the willingness of the French president to take it over from me, shows that first of all the relationship between Germany and France is one of the best ever seen, and that secondly, that we cooperate in such a close way in the interest of Europe, and not in the interest of both countries. I would like to state clearly that the other member states also see it this way, and I am happy about that" 2.03 9. WS: NEWS CONFERENCE. 2.07 10. SCU/ZOOM OUT/MV: SCHROEDER LEAVING THE STAND. 2.17 11. CU/ZOOM OUT: FROM EUROPEAN FLAG TO WIDE SHOT OF FLAGS OF COUNTRIES CONSTITUTING THE EUROPEAN UNION. 2.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 31st October 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVAAKCG27S8IWBHZ5DR4UQSFGH0K
  • Story Text: Iraq war critics Russia, France and Germany
    agree to vote for a U.S. resolution on the country's future but
    not to give it any extra aid.



    Schroeder told a news conference on Thursday
    (October 16), after a three-way telephone conference with
    French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President
    Vladimir Putin they had agreed to back the resolution
    because it showed some progress and for the sake of unity
    in the U.N. Security Council.

    But he added: "The progress in our view is still not an
    adequate response to the situation on the ground in Iraq,
    and on those grounds, we do not see ourselves in a position
    to play a military role there...or to make a further material
    contribution beyond what has already been agreed."
    France and Germany are contributing to a modest pledge
    of 200 million euro ($232.3 million) for Iraq reconstruction
    from the 15-nation European Unions executive Commission.

    Schroeder was addressing a news conference at a
    European Union summit, hours before the scheduled vote in
    New York.

    He said they had taken note of the fact that the
    resolution was an important step in the right direction,
    saying a lot of what Russia, France and Germany had sought
    has been included. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan had
    also been somewhat more positive about the latest draft
    of the resolution, which asks the U.S.-appointed Iraqi
    Governing Council to come up with a timetable by December
    15 for a return to full self-government.

    Chirac's spokeswoman Catherine Colonna confirmed the
    outcome of the conversation with Putin, who was in Malaysia
    for an Islamic summit, saying the three countries had agreed
    they would make no military or financial commitment to Iraq.

    She said the three anti-war powers would give a joint
    statement in the Security Council to explain their vote
    later on Thursday, emphasising their unity on the issue.

    The three countries teamed up in March to prevent a
    Security Council resolution that would have approved the
    U.S.-led invasion of Iraq to overthrow President Saddam
    Hussein.


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