The Iraqi File Worsens the Divergences Between France and the United States
LEMONDE.FR |With With AFP and Reuters
UPDATED 16.10.02|21h01 -- GEORGE W BUSH reaffirmed, Wednesday October 16, at the White House, its determination to settle the Iraqi question. "I hope that the use of the force will not be necessary but we must face the threat posed by Iraq by all the possible means" , declared the president American with the elected officials democratic and republican come to attend the ceremony of signature of the resolution of the Congress authorizing president Bush "to have recourse to the forces armed with the United States like it considers it necessary and suitable" in order to defend the national safety of the United States against the continual threat posed by Iraq. "the Iraqi mode will have to give up its weapons of massive destruction, or, for the good of peace, the United States will lead an international coalition to disarm this mode" , insisted the president.
Mr. Bush also launched a new call to the United Nations so that they vote for a firm resolution to oblige Iraq to disarm itself. "the United Nations must be shown with the height of this why they were created to know to defend our safety" , the president estimated American. "If Iraq acquires a destroying capacity even larger, the countries of the Middle East would be confronted with the blackmail, the intimidation or attacks. Chaos in the area would be felt in Europe and beyond ", it still launched, in an apparent will to convince the international community to follow it in its initiative.
JACQUES CHIRAC , at the time of an intervention in Alexandria, in Egypt, on the contrary, wanted to mark his independence on the Iraqi question, reaffirming that "France as a permanent member of the Security Council would take his responsabilities" , and affirming that the "area does not require for an additional war if one can avoid it" . He said himself "opened" so that the Security Council votes for a resolution improving "the working conditions of the inspectors in disarmament of UNO, in accordance with the requests of the head of the inspectors, Hans Blix, in which it France has confidence" . "Our American friends would like that this same resolution gives the authorization to the international community, if it is estimated that the Iraqi authorities do not do what it is necessary, to intervene militarily" , explained the French president. "I always thought that the war is worst of the solutions. All must be done to avoid it ", has it says.
France is partisane of a process in two times, with a new meeting of the Security Council on the assumption that "the Iraqi authorities would make obstruction" with the work of the inspectors. On a similar assumption, the Council Decision of safety "does not exclude any option but the Council must be free to deliberate" . The position of Jacques Chirac was considered to be "acceptable and logical" by the head of Egyptian State, Hosni Moubarak.
AMERICAN IRRITATION increased following this new standpoint of France. The United States wants from now on "to show great firmness" with France indicated American reponsables Wednesday. Secretary of State Powell the Hake, had Wednesday a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Domenica de Villepin, according to these sources, and should still tackle the subject with the minister Frenchwoman of defense, Michele Alliot-Marie, visits some in the American capital. Mr. Powell would have said to Mr. de Villepin "who it is now time that France acts" , indicated a person in charge for the State Department, under cover of anonymity.
Mr. Powell had indicated Tuesday to have received new "ideas French" on this file, and promised to answer it, but without giving indication on their content. A high American person in charge indicated that Washington considered that it always returned to Paris to make proposals "to fill the gap" between the visions Frenchwoman and American. "France must find the formulation to overcome the problem between our desire of automation and their request so that there are two resolutions" , one on the inspections in Iraq, another later on on the recourse to the force, he declared.
To the SECURITY COUNCIL , a public discussion on Iraq opened Wednesday. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, asked that a "last chance" be granted to the Iraqi mode. "Nothing must block the inspectors (in disarmament) , the Council does not await anything less and can decide to adopt a new resolution reinforcing the margin of manSuvre inspectors so that there is no ambiguity nor no weak point" , Mr. Annan declared, currently in Asia, and whose short speech was read by the general vice-secretary, Louise Fréchette. "new measurements must be firm, effective, credible and reasonable" , the secretary-general continued. "If Iraq does not make use of this last chance and persists in its challenge, the Council will have to then face its responsibilities" , concluded Mr. Annan.
In LONDON , during the first meeting of questions and answers of the new parliamentary session to the Communes, British the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, declared themselves optimistic on the prospect for an international "consensus " for a new resolution of the United Nations on the inspections in Iraq. "the majority of people understand that the world is not sure if one allows Saddam Hussein to have chemical, biological weapons and, potentially, nuclear" , it added. "That the United Nations clearly indicate to Saddam Hussein that it gets rid itself of its weapons of massive destruction, and cooperates completely with the inspectors in disarmament. If it does that and that disarmament takes place peaceful of way, then a conflict will be avoided , underlined the Labour leader. But if it refuses to cooperate or make it possible to the inspectors to work, then the international community will be confronted with a choice ". The United Nations, still observed Mr. Blair, "must make it possible to answer a question, not to be unaware of it" .
RUSSIA reiterated Wednesday its opposition to an armed intervention against Baghdad, but president Vladimir Poutine confirmed that Moscow would support a resolution of UNO supporting the work of the inspectors in disarmament. Russia "is ready to study and if necessary to vote, with its partners of the Security Council of UNO, an additional resolution which would guarantee the work of the international inspectors in Iraq" , declared Mr. Poutine at the end of a meeting in the Kremlin with Italian the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Italy supports a military intervention against Baghdad, but only under the aegis of UNO.
ARIEL SHARON , in visit in Washington, should as for him be seen requiring by George W Bush more flexibility with regard to the Palestinians. Subjected to criticisms in the Arab countries for their support for Mr. Sharon, the United States already addressed several calls to order following Israeli military operations, of which some cost the life with civil Palestinian. N the other hand Israeli gestures, the United States should warn the Hebrew State soixante-douze hours in advance of an American attack against Baghdad. Washington would have also promised to give to the Israelis an access to a satellite alarm system, which would make it possible at the Hebrew State to know if Scud missiles are drawn in its direction, as it was the case in 1991, during the war of the Gulf: Iraq had then fired 39 Scud missiles towards the Israeli territory. If Ariel Sharon proclaims the right of Israel to the "self-defence" in the event of attack of Scud, one of his/her collaborators affirmed that there would be no "automatic Israeli counterparts" , except, according to Israeli media's, if Scud are armed with chemical or bacteriological heads.
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