This statement begs the question; why?
Oil for food bucks? Arms contracts? Nuclear Research sales?
Therein lies the real news.
Off the top of my head, I'd say that French jealousy of the U.S. has reached such preposterous heights, that they will do anything to cause mischief to us.
Yes, of course - this is all about money and who has access to whom in the middle east. The French role isn't surprising. What's interesting is how little anyone has focused on the British intelligence that said Iraq was pursuing African uranium, which the Brits still stand behind.
The oil for food bucks is nothing compared to what France, Germany, and Russia would of profited from if Saddam was still in power and UN sanctions had been lifted.
France's oil company, Total Fina Elf, was lined up to develop oil fields if the UN sanctions where lifted. They, along with russian company Lukoil, had contracts with Saddam already to go if the UN sanctions could be lifted.
In the later 90's, Total Fina Elf has negotiated for rights to develop the huge Majnoon field, near the Iranian border, which may contain up to 30 billion barrels of oil.
In July 2001, Iraq threatened it would no longer give French firms priority in the award of such contracts because of its continued inability to get the UN sanctions lifted.
While Russia's Lukoil negotiated a $4 billion deal in 1997 to develop the 15-billion-barrel West Qurna field in southern Iraq, but Lukoil could not commence work because of U.N. sanctions. In October of 2001, the Russian oil services company Slavneft reportedly signed a $52 million service contract to drill at the Tuba field, also in southern Iraq. A proposed $40 billion Iraqi-Russian economic agreement also reportedly includes opportunities for Russian companies to explore for oil in Iraq's western desert.
Russia, with $7 billion to $8 billion of aging Soviet-era loans owed to it, would have benefited significantly from exploration and production deals between Russian oil companies and Iraq, as part of a larger comprehensive economic agreement.
Iraq boasts 112 billion barrels of proven petroleum reserves, plus an estimated 150 billion to 250 billion barrels of as yet unproven oil, enough to supplant Saudi Arabia, currently ranked as having the world's largest oil reserves.
Pre-Iraq war, direct trade between Germany and Iraq amounts to about $350 million annually, and another $1 billion is reportedly sold through third parties.
Germany has little to do with Iraq oil processing, but
it has recently been reported that Saddam Hussein had ordered Iraqi domestic businesses to show preference to German companies as a reward for Germany’s “firm positive stand in rejecting the launching of a military attack against Iraq.” It was also reported that over 101 German companies were present at the Baghdad Annual exposition.
During the 35th Annual Baghdad International Fair in November 2002, a German company signed a contract for $80 million for 5,000 cars and spare parts.
In 2002, DaimlerChrysler was awarded over $13 million in contracts for German trucks and spare parts.
Germany is owed billions by Iraq in foreign debt generated during the 1980’s.
Fake documents would be best used to throw off intelligence about the real possibility that France would interpose no objection (or already had not discouraged tentative contacts) about a future Iraqi purchase of yellowcake from the uranium mines France owns in Niger.
The French-controlled Nigerien uranium mines where Saddam Hussein purchased the yellowcake stored at Tuwaitha, some of which was used in the late 1970's to produce fuel for Osirak.
Business is business, mes amis.