Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Meeting of the Leaders of the United States, Britain, Spain and Portugal in Azores

March 17, 2003

Japan appreciates the fact that the leaders of the US, UK, Spain and Portugal, agreed to engage in their final diplomatic effort to urge Iraq to disarm voluntarily, by placing international community's consolidated pressure on Iraq. Japan supports the draft resolution submitted by the US, UK and Spain, and hopes that the UNSC will come to a conclusion that it will be united in demanding Iraq to comply with relevant UNSC resolutions. Japan strongly urges Iraq to seize the final opportunity for a peaceful solution afforded to it and to decide to disarm voluntarily.
Japan also appreciates that the four countries, which issued the "Statement of the Atlantic Summit: A Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi People," demonstrated their intention to seriously consider the future of Iraq, and to unite the efforts of the international community through the adoption of UNSC resolutions and other means.

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