Posted on 02/06/2003 1:06:18 PM PST by yonif
PARIS - President Jacques Chirac said Thursday the evidence against Iraq presented by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to the UN Security Council was not enough to change France's anti-war stance.
"We refuse to think that war is inevitable," Chirac said.
The evidence furnished by Powell "justifies continued work by the United Nations weapons inspectors. Iraq must answer their questions and cooperate more actively," Chirac said through a spokeswoman.
Chirac spoke by telephone Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mexican President Vicente Fox, Syrian President Bashar Assad and several other leaders to defend France's position.
Chirac appeared to be reversing a course taken earlier in the day by Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who suggest time was running out for Iraq to comply with weapons inspectors.
"We ask Saddam Hussein to respond rapidly to the demands of the international community," Dominique de Villepin told Europe-1 radio on his return flight to France after hearing Powell give evidence to the Security Council claiming Iraq was blocking weapons inspections.
"There is an Iraqi risk and we are waiting for Iraq to provide clear responses about the substance (of its alleged weapons), and in particular on chemical and biological weapons," de Villepin said.
De Villepin said France's view on war against Iraq was unchanged, reiterating that "force can only be a last resort, but we do not exclude any possibility, including that of force."
The French minister said it was important that Iraq "accept and submit to the demands of the international community" by allowing scientists to be interviewed without Iraqi government "minders" and letting American U-2 reconnaissance planes fly over Iraq as part of the mission by UN weapons inspectors.
In New York on Wednesday, Powell presented the Security Council with satellite images, intercepted phone conversations and other evidence which he said supported Washington's claim that Baghdad was hiding mass destruction weapons.
French Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau said Thursday that French intelligence backed up parts of Powell's presentation.
"There are a certain number of questions evoked by Mr. Powell that we had information on. Others, perhaps less," Bureau said. He did not elaborate.
In a speech following Powell's presentation, de Villepin suggested that the number of weapons inspectors be doubled or tripled and that a full-time monitor be placed in Baghdad to oversee the process.
De Villepin also said France was ready to contribute Mirage-IV surveillance planes, which are fitted with sophisticated cameras, to help inspectors in Iraq with intelligence gathering.
France has led calls for a slower approach on Iraq and has insisted that the decision on whether to go to war rests with the Security Council - not the United States.
Where might I go, to buy a white flag, so that I can send it to the French Embassy?
Seems they need extra equipment for the impending conflict...
Thoughts, anybody?
Which is head down, arms wrapped around legs, butt up.
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