How to delete from a Table without having to drop a constraint - mysql

Question

I have a question in which im required to delete information without dropping or suspending constraints. The question, if allowed to drop constraints is simple. However i am allowed to change Values from NULL to NOT NULL.
DELETE FROM SUPPLIER
WHERE COUNTRY = 'USA';
however another table PRODUCT is the foreign key of a column SUPPLIER_NAME within SUPPLIER. I am not allowed to drop this Constraint.
Ive tried setting the Foreign key to null but it doesnt Work.
EDIT im not allowed to restrict or suspend constraints
this is the full question
"Delete from the database information about all suppliers located in USA. Information about all products supplied by the suppliers located in USA must remain in the database. You are not allowed to drop and/or to suspend any referential integrity constraints and you must modify one of NULL/NOT NULL consistency constraints. "
The tables being used
CREATE TABLE PRODUCT
(
PRODUCT_NAME VARCHAR(40) NOT NULL,
SUPPLIER_NAME VARCHAR(40) NOT NULL,
CATEGORY_NAME VARCHAR(30) NOT NULL,
QUANTITY_PER_UNIT VARCHAR(20),
UNIT_PRICE DECIMAL(10,2) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
UNITS_IN_STOCK DECIMAL(9) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
UNITS_ON_ORDER DECIMAL(9) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
REORDER_LEVEL DECIMAL(9) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
DISCONTINUED CHAR(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 'N',
CONSTRAINT PK_PRODUCT PRIMARY KEY (PRODUCT_NAME),
CONSTRAINT FK_CATEGORY_NAME FOREIGN KEY (CATEGORY_NAME) REFERENCES CATEGORY(CATEGORY_NAME),
CONSTRAINT FK_SUPPLIER_NAME FOREIGN KEY (SUPPLIER_NAME) REFERENCES SUPPLIER(COMPANY_NAME),
CONSTRAINT CK_PRODUCT_UNIT_PRICE CHECK (UNIT_PRICE >= 0),
CONSTRAINT CK_PRODUCT_UNITS_IN_STOCK CHECK (UNITS_IN_STOCK >= 0),
CONSTRAINT CK_PRODUCT_UNITS_ON_ORDER CHECK (UNITS_ON_ORDER >= 0),
CONSTRAINT CK_PRODUCT_REORDER_LEVEL CHECK (REORDER_LEVEL >= 0),
CONSTRAINT CK_PRODUCT_DISCONTINUED CHECK (DISCONTINUED in ('Y','N'))
);
CREATE TABLE SUPPLIER
(
COMPANY_NAME VARCHAR(40) NOT NULL,
CONTACT_NAME VARCHAR(30),
CONTACT_TITLE VARCHAR(30),
ADDRESS VARCHAR(60),
CITY VARCHAR(15),
REGION VARCHAR(15),
POSTAL_CODE VARCHAR(10),
COUNTRY VARCHAR(15),
PHONE VARCHAR(24),
FAX VARCHAR(24),
HOME_PAGE VARCHAR(500),
CONSTRAINT PK_SUPPLIER PRIMARY KEY (COMPANY_NAME)
);

Answer 1

As the foreign key to your PRODUCT table doe not specify an ON DELETE action, it'll have the default behaviour which is RESTRICT. Since you can't update this constraint to SET NULL, you'd probably have to set them NULL yourself.
First, alter the table so the SUPPLIER_NAME foreign key can accept NULL values.
Then, update the PRODUCTS whose supplier are in the USA, set their SUPPLIER_NAME to NULL. Something like this:
update PRODUCT set SUPPLIER_NAME = NULL where SUPPLIER_NAME IN (
select SUPPLIER_NAME from SUPPLIER where COUNTRY = 'USA');
And at last you can then delete the SUPPLIERS with COUNTRY = 'USA'.