source: http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020903/4412573s.htm
Comments on U.S. campaign to gather support for an attack on Iraq:
Britain: ''Doing nothing about Iraq's breach of these U.N. resolutions is not an option. . . . What we do about that is an open question.'' -- Prime Minister Tony Blair
Canada: ''We need a clear connection between Saddam Hussein and terrorism. . . . If there are other reasons, we are always listening. But for me, I think there are a lot of consequences for everybody on a decision like that.'' -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien
China: ''The Iraq question should be resolved within the framework of the U.N. by diplomatic and political means. . . . Resorting to force or threatening to resort to force will not solve the problem; on the contrary it leads to more tensions and troubles.'' -- Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan
Egypt: ''Striking Iraq is something that could have repercussions and post-strike developments. We fear chaos happening in the region.'' -- President Hosni Mubarak
France: ''I don't want to imagine an attack against Iraq, an attack that could not be justified unless it is decided by the Security Council.'' -- President Jacques Chirac
Germany: ''To talk about an attack against Iraq now is wrong. . . . Under my leadership, Germany will not take part in that.'' -- Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
Iran: ''The Iraqi people, not a world power, should determine Iraq's destiny. At the same time, Iran will not stand idle before such instability because if a country decides to overthrow another country's government, this will create a norm.'' -- Hamid Reza Asefi, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Israel: ''What I told the Americans, and I repeat it: 'Don't expect us to continue to live with the process of restraint. If they (Iraq) hit us, we reserve the right of response.'' -- Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Mexico: ''We cannot get involved in any war in any way.'' -- President Vicente Fox
Pakistan: ''It is not a question of removing Saddam Hussein. It's the question of attacking a country, attacking another Muslim country.'' -- President Pervez Musharraf
Russia: ''Any decision to use force against Iraq would not only complicate an Iraqi settlement but also undermine the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East.'' -- Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
Saudi Arabia: ''There is no country I know of supporting the use of force in Iraq at this time. . . . The rhetoric about using force is way ahead of the policy.'' -- Adel al-Jubeir, spokesman for Saudi Arabian ruling family
South Africa: ''We are really appalled by any country, whether it is a superpower or a poor country, that goes outside the United Nations and attacks independent countries.'' -- Nelson Mandela, former president
Turkey: ''We have used every opportunity to tell our friends in the U.S. administration we are opposed to military action against Iraq.'' -- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
United Nations: ''It would be unwise to attack Iraq, given the current circumstances of what's happening in the Middle East.'' -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Comments on U.S. campaign to gather support for an attack on Iraq:
Britain: ''Doing nothing about Iraq's breach of these U.N. resolutions is not an option. . . . What we do about that is an open question.'' -- Prime Minister Tony Blair
Canada: ''We need a clear connection between Saddam Hussein and terrorism. . . . If there are other reasons, we are always listening. But for me, I think there are a lot of consequences for everybody on a decision like that.'' -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien
China: ''The Iraq question should be resolved within the framework of the U.N. by diplomatic and political means. . . . Resorting to force or threatening to resort to force will not solve the problem; on the contrary it leads to more tensions and troubles.'' -- Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan
Egypt: ''Striking Iraq is something that could have repercussions and post-strike developments. We fear chaos happening in the region.'' -- President Hosni Mubarak
France: ''I don't want to imagine an attack against Iraq, an attack that could not be justified unless it is decided by the Security Council.'' -- President Jacques Chirac
Germany: ''To talk about an attack against Iraq now is wrong. . . . Under my leadership, Germany will not take part in that.'' -- Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
Iran: ''The Iraqi people, not a world power, should determine Iraq's destiny. At the same time, Iran will not stand idle before such instability because if a country decides to overthrow another country's government, this will create a norm.'' -- Hamid Reza Asefi, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Israel: ''What I told the Americans, and I repeat it: 'Don't expect us to continue to live with the process of restraint. If they (Iraq) hit us, we reserve the right of response.'' -- Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Mexico: ''We cannot get involved in any war in any way.'' -- President Vicente Fox
Pakistan: ''It is not a question of removing Saddam Hussein. It's the question of attacking a country, attacking another Muslim country.'' -- President Pervez Musharraf
Russia: ''Any decision to use force against Iraq would not only complicate an Iraqi settlement but also undermine the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East.'' -- Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
Saudi Arabia: ''There is no country I know of supporting the use of force in Iraq at this time. . . . The rhetoric about using force is way ahead of the policy.'' -- Adel al-Jubeir, spokesman for Saudi Arabian ruling family
South Africa: ''We are really appalled by any country, whether it is a superpower or a poor country, that goes outside the United Nations and attacks independent countries.'' -- Nelson Mandela, former president
Turkey: ''We have used every opportunity to tell our friends in the U.S. administration we are opposed to military action against Iraq.'' -- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
United Nations: ''It would be unwise to attack Iraq, given the current circumstances of what's happening in the Middle East.'' -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan
