We were kept in the dark over deal with Libya, says France

Telegraph ^ | 12/23/03 | Telegraph

[Mark Felton]

France congratulated Britain and America yesterday for persuading Libya to surrender its weapons of mass destruction and admitted it had been kept in the dark throughout the talks.

Dominique de Villepin, the foreign minister, took his hat off to London and Washington's "exemplary" diplomatic efforts over the past few months that led to the Libyan leader Col Gaddafi's surprise announcement on Friday, calling it a victory for "the entire international community".

But he was forced to admit in Le Figaro that France knew nothing of the nine months of secret negotiations.

"We were not kept informed," M de Villepin said. His disclosure underlined the continuing mistrust in relations between the English-speaking powers and France, which made much of its opposition to war in Iraq.

M de Villepin sought to gloss over the differences, describing the relationship as one of "extremely active and fertile co-operation".

His words contradicted those of Michele Alliot-Marie, defence minister, who claimed on Sunday that France was "perfectly informed of the negotiations" several months ago.

Bizarrely, Mme Alliot-Marie denied there was any discrepancy between the two accounts, suggesting the foreign ministry was not as involved as her department.

M de Villepin rejected suggestions that France lost face by being kept out of the diplomatic loop, arguing that it was a perfect example of his vision of an interdependent, multi-polar world at work.

"It is only natural that those who are best placed at a given moment to use their capabilities to the common good do so, as long as their action is of an unquestionably multilateral nature." He cited the recent diplomatic success of France, Britain and Germany in helping to persuade Iran to open its nuclear facilities to inspection.

He faced much the same difficulty as domestic critics of George W Bush and Tony Blair in seeking to explain away the apparent link between the effect of the allied invasion of Iraq and Col Gaddafi's sudden surrender.

Even the normally pro-government Le Figaro described the Libyan deal as a "semi-failure" for France, which has been against tough action against rogue states.

Annick Lepetit, the Socialist party spokesman, said it signified "the isolation of France and French diplomacy in an area where it is traditionally influential".

In a further sign that France is still paying the price of its anti-war stance in Iraq, one of President Chirac's closest aides yesterday accused certain members of the American administration of seeking to "isolate" Paris on the international scene.

France is acutely sensitive to hints that it is being punished for its stance on Iraq. The latest target is the French aim to host an international experimental thermo-nuclear reactor in Cadarache.

Pierre Lellouche, the French representative at the talks, said: "If at the end of the day the difficulties turn out not to be technical but political, we'll all have to draw our own conclusions."

He added: "I know very well that within the American administration some people intend to pursue a deliberate strategy of isolating France."

Negotiations ended without agreement after America, along with South Korea, threw its weight behind Japan's bid to host the reactor. Russia and China voted for France.

Commentators also agreed that the deal has weakened France's hand in compensation talks over the 1989 bombing of a French passenger plane that killed 170.

[Mark Felton]

"[Montesquieu wrote in his Spirit of Laws, X,c.2:] 'The right of natural defense carries along with it sometimes the necessity of attacking; as, for instance, when one nation sees that a continuance of peace will enable another to destroy her, and that to attack that nation instantly is the only way to prevent her own destruction. '" --Thomas Jefferson: copied into his Commonplace Book.

[jbstrick]

All the better.....

[Beck_isright]

"We were not kept informed," M de Villepin said."

Keeping the commies in the dark was a stroke of brilliance. I'm sure the whine from France will be quite bitter. And freedom lovers are cheering worldwide.

[JusPasenThru]

Hey, Jack, fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us.

[Vermonter]

He added: "I know very well that within the American administration some people intend to pursue a deliberate strategy of isolating France."

Get used to it

[Semper911]

French whine is best served chilled.

Do they have no clue why they are out of the loop? No France, you didn't miss a memo. You weren't CCed on it. Get it?

[LayoutGuru2]

[NonValueAdded]

Seems to me that the ones with the deliberate strategy of isolating France is ... France.

[LibKill]

I love a french whine.

[Ciexyz]

Hey France: Nanny nanny boo boo, George Bush put a big one over on you!

[Rockitz]

Dear Jaques,

The US doesn't, as a general rule, tell our sworn enemies and 3rd rate military powers about our diplomatic efforts. Hope you understand.

Regards,

W

[Bedford Forrest]

Is it not a fact that if you leave a frog in a dark cave, in due course he will turn white? If so, que hay muchas ranas blancas!

[oldtimer]

froggies still think they are something special.

Arrogant pieces of clinton are as bad security risks as some of our Senators and a whole lot of the Democratic Progressive Caucus.

[mylife]

Meirde!

[Bubba_Leroy]

I'll bet we didn't consult Micronesia either.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Certain officials in the French Government would have been on the phone to Iran and North Korea as soon as they found out.

[happydogdesign]

[PhiKapMom]

And to think this is from the Country that refused to allow our planes to fly over their airspace when Reagan bombed Libya -- what do they expect? I wouldn't tell the French anything -- zero, zip, nada, as they are no friend of the US!

[MizRiz9]

Very good, Bravo

[Shermy]

Commentators also agreed that the deal has weakened France's hand in compensation talks over the 1989 bombing of a French passenger plane that killed 170.

Which is a prominent defeat for Chirac.

ONe can only hope that Gaddafi, to spite Chirac, will reveal the side "pledge" he made to France to have it abstain on the UN vote lifting Libyan sanctions... since Gaddafi has no intention in living up to it, just like Chirac didn't live up to the earlier deal on the UTA bombing.