EU backs Council but insists war is not inevitable

Here is the edited text of a statement on the Iraq crisis issued by the leaders of the 15 European Union member states last night:

The European Council held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the crisis over Iraq. Its members also met with the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, and the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox.

The way the unfolding of the situation in Iraq will be handled will have an important impact on the world in the next decades. In particular, we are determined to deal effectively with the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

We are committed to the UN remaining at the centre of the international order. The Union's objective for Iraq remains full and effective disarmament in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 1441.

We want to achieve this peacefully. It is clear that this is what the people of Europe want. War is not inevitable. Force should be used only as a last resort. It is for the Iraqi regime to end this crisis by complying with the demands of the Security Council.

We reiterate our full support for the ongoing work of UN inspectors. They must be given the time and resources that the UN Security Council believes they need. However, inspections cannot continue indefinitely in the absence of full Iraqi co-operation. Baghdad should have no illusions: it must disarm and co-operate immediately and fully. Iraq has a final opportunity to resolve the crisis peacefully.

The Iraqi regime alone will be responsible for the consequences if it continues to flout the will of the international community and does not take this last chance. We recognise that the unity and firmness of the international community, as expressed in the unanimous adoption of resolution 1441 and the military build-up, have been essential in obtaining the return of the inspectors.

We will work with the Arab countries and the Arab League. We will encourage them to bring home to Saddam Hussein the extreme danger of miscalculation of the situation and the need for full compliance with resolution 1442. We support Turkey's regional initiatives with the neighbours of Iraq and Egypt. In this regional context, the EU reiterates its firm belief in the need to invigorate the peace process in the Middle East and to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The unity of the international community is vital in dealing with these problems.We are committed to working with all our partners, especially the United States, for the disarmament of Iraq, for peace and stability in the region and for a decent future for all its people.