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Today, despite the best efforts of the international community and the
United Nations, war has come to Iraq for the third time in a quarter of
a century.
Perhaps if we had persevered a little longer, Iraq could yet have been
disarmed peacefully, or - if not - the world could have taken action
to solve this problem by a collective decision, endowing it with greater
legitimacy, and therefore commanding wider support, than is now the
case.
But let us not dwell on the divisions of the past. Let us confront
the realities of the present, however harsh, and look for ways to forge
stronger unity in the future.
My thoughts today are with the Iraqi people, who face yet another ordeal.
I hope that all parties will scrupulously observe the requirements of
international humanitarian law, and will do everything in their power
to shield the civilian population from the grim consequences of war.
The United Nations, for its part, will do whatever it can to bring them
assistance and support.
Let us hope the future will be much brighter for the Iraqi people than
the recent past, and that they will soon have the chance to rebuild
their country in peace and freedom, under the rule of law.
Over the past weeks, the peoples of the world have shown what great
importance they attach to the legitimacy conveyed by the authority of
the United Nations. They have made clear that, in confronting uncertainty
and danger, they want to see power harnessed to legitimacy. They want
their leaders to come together, in the United Nations, to resolve the
problems shared by all humanity.
I will do my utmost to ensure that the United Nations rises to this
challenge.
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