Following is the transcript of Secretary Powell's remarks upon his departure from the United Nations September 16:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(New York, New York)
For Immediate Release
September 16, 2002
2002/12

Remarks By Secretary Of State Colin L. Powell
Upon Departure From The United Nations

September 16, 2002
United Nations Headquarters
New York, New York

(12:05 p.m. EDT)

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I don't know. We'll have to wait and see what comes out of Baghdad. But the one thing I'm absolutely sure about is that we're going to continue to move forward within the Security Council on a new resolution. And I'm very pleased at the response that the President's speech has generated. I've had quite a number of bilateral meetings and I think that the political dynamic has changed, and there is a great deal of pressure now being placed upon Iraq to come into compliance with the UN mandates of the last 12 years.

But it's going to be on the new terms in the resolution that I hope we'll be able to complete in the not too distant future, and we're hard at work working with our Security Council colleagues. And it will have to be a strong resolution, and if any conditions are placed, they'll be conditions that are placed by the United Nations on Iraq, and not conditions that Iraq is going to place on the United Nations.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the Saudi Foreign Minister said over the weekend that it would have some US reviews on assets in Saudi Arabia and airspace and things like that for a potential attack on Iraq if the United States --

SECRETARY POWELL: I think what I heard him say was that all members of the United Nations are bound by Security Council resolutions, and I think that was a forthcoming statement. We're not talking about attacks or bases right now, so I will let his statement stand without further comment.

QUESTION: Mr. Powell, if there are signs that Iraq might let the inspectors in because of international pressure, if they do, will there be honest implementation of all resolutions vis-a-vis Iraq, including the guarantees of sovereignty?

SECRETARY POWELL: We have always intended -- (interrupted by public address announcement). We have always wanted full implementation of all United Nations resolutions. And there will be, in the not too distant future I hope, a new resolution from the United Nations that I think will capture all the violations of the last 11 years. And we'll see whether or not Iraq understands the seriousness of the position that it is in and whether it will respond to this collection from the Security Council.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, have you got indication yet that you're going to get the sort of consequences named in that resolution for Iraq that you've been asking for?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, we've just begun our consultations, and I'm encouraged by what I've heard so far from the Security Council representatives that I've spoken to. But as I say, this is a consultation, it is a negotiation, and we're just now starting to look at language, so I would not want to prejudge what my Council colleagues might agree to.

Thank you.