We held a mature debate here last Thursday, but events have now moved on. Military action by British and US troops is now very close.

It is still just possible that war can be avoided, if Saddam Hussein allows it, but we have to face the probability that he will not.

"Respect diversity of views"

I think that all MSPs here are agreed that it would have been preferable if this action could have been avoided.

But that, ultimately, is down to the regime of Saddam Hussein, who over a period of many years could have chosen to comply with the requirements of the international community.

We are all, I think, also agreed, that it would have been better if military action had been preceded by a further UN resolution. Unfortunately, that was not possible.

'Time to act'

There is, in the view of the legal advisers to the UK Government, a sufficient basis in international law for military action.

The UK Government with the backing of the UK Parliament and together with the governments of the United States of America and other countries has decided that the time to act is now.

These are properly decisions for the United Kingdom Government and Parliament - and they have taken them.

Presiding Officer, these are difficult and trying times. I recognise that others can sincerely and in good faith hold different views.

I respect the diversity of views. We all have concerns. But the time for agonising is past. The decision is taken. Our military forces now face a dangerous and difficult task.

Here in our devolved Scottish Government, the partnership parties have taken a different view on this issue in the wider sense.

But it is a reflection of the maturity of the partnership here in Scotland that we are now able to work together, taking our responsibilities seriously, to serve the people of Scotland in this difficult time. Scottish ministers will do what is right.

Active duty

Presiding Officer, two consequences follow. Our country faces war. Young men and women from all across the United Kingdom are facing a dangerous and life-threatening challenge.

Two Scottish Army regiments - the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Black Watch - are key parts of the British Army contingent.

RAF personnel from bases here in Scotland are on active duty in the Gulf. Naval personnel from Rosyth, Marine Commandos from Arbroath, regular and reserve members of the forces from all across Scotland are ready and waiting to do their duty.

In all parts of Scotland, wives, husbands and partners, parents and children are worried - proud certainly, but worried too - about a husband or wife, a son or a daughter, father or mother - engaged in a dangerous conflict in a far-off land.

We in this parliament owe them, and British troops, our care and our clear support

In addition, now that the decision is made, we need to look to our own responsibilities here in devolved Scotland. It is to these that I now turn.

The constitutional position was touched on during last week's debate and Members will be aware of those responsibilities - defence, foreign policy and national security - which are reserved.

High state of alert

Scottish ministers are however responsible for policing, including public order and public safety, emergency planning, community relations and any other effects military action may have on devolved matters.

This military action comes against a background of heightened concern about international terrorism as well as concerns about tension in our communities.

The risk of terrorism following the events of 11 September has resulted in a high state of alert.

That remains the case, and I have to say to members, as I have said for some months now, it is important that we should be alert and vigilant, not panicking or giving the terrorists a victory by letting them disrupt our daily lives.

There remains no specific threat to Scotland at this time.

However, it is important that we prepare against the possibility of terrorist attack by continued work on contingency planning.

In Scotland this is based on 8 emergency planning groups covering each of our 8 police force areas. This work is co-ordinated by the executive-led Scottish Emergencies Co-ordinating Committee.

Intelligence co-ordination

As a result of action over the past year, we are now better prepared to deal with chemical or biological attacks, through training, the provision of decontamination equipment and the stockpiling of vaccines by the NHS.

We have made significant progress, but our work continues to protect the public.

It is possible that military action to disarm Saddam Hussein could be used as a pretext for violence by extremists and a number of measures are being taken to guard against this.

Our chief constables have established a Scottish Police Information Co-ordination Centre specifically structured to deal with the current situation.

Jim Wallace and I visited the centre this morning. It will carry out intelligence co-ordination and other work, including the monitoring of community tension.

This will assist in identifying the need for preventative measures and, where there is an incident, action needed to deal with this.

I was greatly assured by my briefing this morning. It is clear that this difficult situation is being tackled with considerable professionalism and sensitivity. I want to congratulate the Scottish Police forces for setting up these arrangements so quickly and effectively.

The Scottish Executive Emergency Room has been opened this afternoon and will operate to ensure that ministers are fully informed of any developments and that any ministerial actions which are required can be taken quickly.

Scottish Ministers will also continue to take part in Civil Contingency Committee meetings which are being held regularly to monitor the position at UK level.

Our contingency preparations also include the National Health Service in Scotland, as elsewhere in the UK, preparing to deal with the casualties of any action.

We have robust and flexible plans in place with the local authorities and other partners to deal with any increased demand.

We have also made plans to cope with the call up of NHS staff.

'Testing times'

At the meeting of the Scottish cabinet this morning, we agreed to set up the Scottish Cabinet Contingencies Group to deal with contingency planning throughout any period of conflict, including during April if necessary. I will chair the Group.

The deputy first minister, Malcolm Chisholm and Patricia Ferguson will be members of the Group.

We will meet our responsibilities and fulfill our obligations.

We will provide leadership where it is required, make contingency plans in the way I have described and we must keep under review the economic impacts too.

It is likely that any conflict will have an effect on trade and on tourism and we will have to monitor those impacts and take appropriate action to manage them.

Presiding Officer, these are testing times. But they are not times for us to let go of our basic values of humanity, tolerance and democracy.

This is military action against the evil regime of Saddam Hussein, and it is emphatically not an attack or an excuse for an attack on Islam, on muslim communities here in Scotland.

It must not result in violence against other minority groups or those seeking asylum in this country. I heard at first hand when I went to the Central Mosque in Glasgow earlier this month, about some of the intolerance intimidation and abuse that our ethnic communities have faced in similar situations before now.

So we send a clear signal here today. We will not accept such behaviour in Scotland, whether it takes the form of bullying in schools or racially motivated attacks on people their property or their places of worship.

The Solicitor General, Eilish Angiolini, met with the Commission for Racial Equality and Scotland's Race Equality Councils on March 6 and assured them of our determination to deal with racist crime.

The deputy first minister has recently visited members of our minority Communities to reassure them about this.

Scottish ministers continue to seek opportunities to get this message across at local level. I am confident that this is a task which members of other parties will support.

Presiding Officer, these are deeply worrying times. No-one can view the start of a war - especially a war with fearsome weaponry - with anything other than horror.

But the decision is made - made in our democratic parliament - and our country is committed.

We must all hope for a swift and successful conflict, after which we will make every effort to help and support the innocent people of Iraq.

For now, it is our responsibility to make clear that our armed forces have this parliament's wholehearted support; that we as Ministers stand ready to cope with the domestic impact of this action and that nothing can excuse intolerance of minority communities here in Scotland.

And we must all hope and pray that the war will be short with minimum casualties and an outcome that helps to secure a better world.