UNITED KINGDOM - ROYAUME-UNI - REINO UNIDO

Written Statement submitted by the United Kingdom in exercise of its Right of Reply under Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Food Summit.

The United Kingdom Delegation wish to exercise their Right of Reply to the statement made by the Iraqi Delegation. We wish to say:

"This is not the appropriate forum for discussing the lifting of sanctions. It is sadly true that the Iraqi people are suffering. But responsibility for the suffering lies with the Iraqi regime's refusal to fulfil its international obligations. The Security Council has recently reviewed sanctions and concluded that there could be no change given Iraq's continued failure to comply fully with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Iraq is far from compliance. Saddam Hussein remains indifferent to the suffering caused by his policies. His refusal to implement SCR 986 for over a year caused unnecessary suffering. The attack on Irbil forced the UN to further delay implementation because of the security situation. Iraq is now further delaying implementation by re-opening points already agreed with the UN."