French outrage at 'old
Europe' remarks
The war of words is becoming more public
French leaders have reacted angrily after US
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described
American allies France and Germany as
"problems" in the crisis over Iraq.
Finance Minister Francis Mer said he was
"profoundly vexed" by Mr Rumsfeld's remarks -
which branded France and Germany "old
Europe - while a former employment minister
described the US as arrogant.
Mr Rumsfeld made the
remarks in Washington
after French President
Jacques Chirac and
German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder
agreed to work together
to oppose US threats of war in Iraq.
"Germany has been a problem and France has
been a problem," Mr Rumsfeld told
Washington's foreign press corps.
"But you look at vast numbers of other
countries in Europe, they're not with France
and Germany... they're with the US.
"You're thinking of Europe as Germany and
France. I don't," he said. "I think that's old
Europe."
Mr Rumsfeld pointed to the planned expansion
of Nato, with seven eastern European and
Baltic countries invited to join the alliance.
"If you look at the entire Nato Europe today,
the centre of gravity is shifting to the east,"
Mr Rumsfeld said.
European divisions
The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Paris, says
the divisions between Europe and the US over
Iraq are growing more public and the rhetoric
more pointed by the day.
The French Environment Minister, Roselyne
Bachelot, told one interviewer: "If you knew
what I felt like telling Mr Rumsfeld..."
She then stopped herself, saying the word was
too offensive.
Europe is deeply divided over the possibility of
war with Iraq. France and Germany are
opposed to early military action, while the UK
is sending massive troop deployments to the
Gulf.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell has
questioned the commitment of France and
Germany to disarming Iraqi leader Saddam
Hussein.
However, he has described the disagreements
with France as a "blip", saying he hoped "the
French would come to the understanding" of
the need to use the threat of force to compel
Saddam Hussein to disarm.
CC
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