Bill Richardson Council Quotations

It's the major powers of the United Nations Security Council speaking united, unmistakably, with a strong message that what is happening in South Asia is unacceptable, it's a threat to peace and security, and that it's critically important that tempers and tensions be reduced,

The Security Council is going to have to respond in a strong, unmistakable way,

The United States is supportive of his trip, ... We wish him well, but we deserve the right to disagree if the conclusion of the trip is not consistent with Security Council resolutions and our own national interests.

The United States reserves the right to oppose any arrangement that does not protect Security Council resolutions and what we perceive to be America's national interest,

The coalition has reunited itself because of Iraqi behavior, ... We believe that there's strong unanimity and consensus on the council that Iraq's behavior has been unacceptable.

This is typically Iraqi behavior. Once again they are repudiating the Security Council resolutions. They are repudiating the agreement they made with the secretary-general, they are blustering, they are going out of their way to be defiant and they are playing games.

We're very pleased with this result. It shows unity in the contact group, unity in the Security Council and it brings the United States and Russia together on this issue.