The consequences of war in Iraq would be devastating not only for the long-suffering people of that country, but also for the Middle East as a whole. The Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, amplified this concern in his contribution. In this respect, I applaud the regional initiative on Iraq that has been taken in the Middle East. A joint declaration was signed by the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey in Istanbul on 23 January last. The Ministers expressed their common resolve to attain a peaceful solution to the problems in Iraq and called on the Administration in that country to make irreversible and sincere attempts to fulfil its responsibilities in relation to peace and stability in the region. They also called on Iraq to conform with UN Resolution 1441 by demonstrating a more active approach to providing an inventory of information and material concerning its weapons of mass destruction capabilities. The Ministers further called on Iraq to adopt a policy that will unambiguously inspire confidence among its neighbours and to take firm steps towards national reconciliation to preserve that country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.