It appears the Kissing of some French A$$ has begun......
The Loss in the Poles is having its effect...
I now expect some real brown nosing to kick in.....
T
"Door is open for French companies" in Iraq: US official
Fri Oct 3,10:51 AM ET Add Politics - AFP to My Yahoo!
PARI (AFP) - "The door is open for French companies" to take part in rebuilding Iraq (news - web sites)'s economy -- but many will likely find themselves having to play second fiddle to main US contractors, a US state department official visiting Paris said.
"The door is open for French companies to participate in infrastructure contracts in Iraq" because "we're open to companies from all over the world regarding the rebuilding of Iraq," US Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Alan Larson told a media conference.
While European firms could pick up contracts tendered by international aid funds, including in the oil sector, Larson said contracts held by the US Agency for International Development "will go to US companies -- but it will certainly open the door to participation from French companies as subcontractors."
The United States is struggling to raise commitments from other countries to help rebuild Iraq in time for a donors' conference scheduled October 23-24 in Madrid.
So far, few have stepped forward to offer significant money alongside the 20 billion dollars (17 billion euros) Washington has already pledged along with the 67 billion dollars it has set aside to pay for its military occupation.
The European Union (news - web sites) -- traditionally the biggest aid donor in the world -- has proposed a relatively modest 200 million euros (225 million dollars), and left it up to its individual members to cough up more if they so choose.
Larson expressed optimism that EU states would be generous, saying the proposed amount was "a first commitment."
He added: "Everything must be discussed in the capitals during the three weeks we have until the meeting in Madrid."
However France and Germany are unlikely to dig up much money because of their opposition to the war and now the way Washington is keeping the United Nations (news - web sites) on the sidelines. But even Britain and Spain, whose governments backed the war, have been reticient.
On top of that, some US lawmakers have criticised the amount of US money being spent, saying some or all should be given as a loan, not a grant as intended.
That has elicited fears by US officials that other countries might be scared off from donating money and that Iraq would suffocate under its mountain of debt, which is already estimated at more than 100 billion dollars, much of it to France and Russia.
Optimistic forecasts on Iraqi oil revenue are put at around five billion dollars a year after 2005. That is higher than the amount being pumped out now through infrastructure targeted for sabotage and rundown after years of sanctions, and probably not even enough to fund a national budget. |
