The Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen said the Government "regrets very much" that force was used against Iraq by British and US aircraft over the weekend.
Mr Cowen - who is to have high-level talks in Moscow, Paris and Washington over the next ten days - will be taking part in discussions with the UN Security Council tomorrow to see what steps might be taken to improve the situation in Iraq.
While the Government wishes to see all sanctions against Iraq lifted as soon as possible, Mr Cowen is to express the Government’s view that this is only possible if Iraq demonstrates concrete evidence of its peaceful intentions towards its neighbours.
Areas that are expected to be addressed at the Security Council meeting are an examination of the problems caused by hold-ups in implementing the "oil for food" programme and also the deployment of the UN disarmament mission.
Other issues likely to be covered in tomorrow’s talks include, the situation in the Balkans, developments in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Mr Cowen will also brief the Council on Ireland’s chairmanship of the Angola Sanctions Committee.