30/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - In a statement published in several newspapers on 30 June, eight European leaders (of which five EU Heads of Government) called on Europe to stand by the United States in the Iraqi crisis. The statement was signed by Spain's Jose Maria Aznar, whose initiative it was, Britain's Tony Blair, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, Portugal's Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, Denmark's Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Czech's Vaclav Havel, Poland's Leszek Miller and Hungary's Peter Medgyessy. The statement says in particular that "the transatlantic relationship must not become a casualty of the current Iraqi regime's persistent attempts to threaten world security" and that "we must remain united in insisting that this regime is disarmed". And concludes: "We cannot allow a dictator to systematically violate those (Security Council) resolutions. If they are not complied with, the Security Council will lose its credibility … We are confident that the Security Council will face up to its responsibilities" (See EUROPE of 28 January. P.5, for the search by the Security Council of a solution allowing war to be avoided).