Mr. PIE&&I&jJ (Uaited States of America): First, I ohould like to bid you welcome, Sir, and extend our good wishes to you as you take up your duties as, President of the Council. I should also like to thank and congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Muateaau of Romania, for the difficult and arduous but successful work he did in the month of August. I would like to join others in bidding warm welcome to the new Permanent Represeatative of the Uaited Kingdom, Sir David Bennay, aad through him to thank once agaia his predecessor, Sir Crispin Tickell. Tonight, the behaviour of the Government of Iraq has caused the Council the maKe a diiiikiit GiXfZfCZ. The Iraq! Cavernment has Dow escalated agaia its measures against innocent civilians. Following its invasion of Kuwait, it has separated Western males from their families and sent them as human shields to Iraqi m/0 s/w. 2939 38 (Mt,lksldalUnitedStates) strategic installations. Iraq has cut off food, water and power for embassies in Ruwait and prevented diplomatic personnel from maintaining contact with their citizens in Kuwait. Iraq has now set a policy of holding those most vulnerable as hostage, hoping to blackmail other States into accepting its illegal occupation and annexation of Kuwait. Today's crisis has been caused by Iraq's decision to widen the scope of its perfidy by a deliberate policy of starving over 100,000 citizens of India, Sri Lanka and the Fhilippines. Iraq has continued to tell us it has adequate food. Its announced policy is to feed first its military, and its actual practice is to create conditions of famine for foreign nationals trapped in occupied Kuwait. Let UJ make no mistake about the purpose: Iraq wants us to accept its rutbless aggression against Kuwait or accept the starvation of innocent civilians. We will 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement delivered by a representative of the United States to the United Nations, addressing a pressing issue related to international relations, conflict, and humanitarian crisis. The language used is formal and diplomatic, with a focus on condemning the actions of the Iraqi government and urging the international community to take action.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief