Council members continue to urge peace

The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Russia have addressed the United Nations today.

They denied that the Security Council has failed in its obligations and insisting instead it would not have taken much to reach agreement over peaceful disarmament of Iraq.

Joshka Fischer of Germany said the imminent US-led military action has no justification.

"Iraq's readiness to co-operate was unsatisfactory, it was hesitant and slow - the Council agrees on that but can they seriously be regarded as grounds for war with all its terrible consequences", he said.