Posted on 07/05/2004 1:51:19 PM PDT by TexKat
PARIS - After a 13-year interruption, France and Iraq intend to re-establish diplomatic relations within the next few days, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi met Monday with Bernard Bajolet, France's highest diplomatic representative in Iraq, and discussed restoration of ties that Saddam Hussein broke off in 1991 during the Gulf War, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
"Mr. Allawi said he wanted to do it as fast as possible so that France can participate in the reconstruction of Iraq," the spokesman said. "We welcomed that very positively."
France opposed the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam last year and has turned down American requests for military help in quelling an insurgency that threatens the interim Iraqi goverment.
However, France has said it is willing to help train Iraqi security forces and also supports limited forgiveness of Iraqi debt to help the country regain its economic footing.
Right...
The French remind me of buzzards doing their morning search for roadkill on western highways.
The French, being of no help whatsoever in tossing Saddam, owe America big time for returning Iraq to the world trade stage.
Ties were broken? I don't think so Tim. I do see the french welcoming legal trade though.
A 13 year interruption. What crap.
Chirac is called Chirac Iraq for a reason. France and Iraq were each others biggest clients.
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