Britain reveals France's £135m exports to Iraq (And Germany too! UN Sanctions Violations Galore!)

The Guardian ^ | March 21, 2003 | Nicholas Watt, political correspondent

[Dont Mention the War]

Britain reveals France's £135m exports to Iraq

Nicholas Watt, political correspondent
Friday March 21, 2003
The Guardian

Britain intensified its propaganda campaign against France yesterday by releasing figures showing that Paris has exported goods worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Iraq.

The government published a detailed breakdown of trade figures which allegedly show that France is "stretching" the rules of UN sanctions.

Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, claimed that in the first six months of last year France exported goods worth $212.5m (£135m) to Iraq. Germany exported goods worth $203.8m. In the same period Britain exported goods worth $27.8m.

The figures were released in a parliamentary written answer hours before Tony Blair was due to meet Jacques Chirac at an EU summit in Brussels. No formal commentary was attached, but the clear intention was to to undermine French claims that it is opposing the war on moral grounds.

Government sources said the figures showed that France was stretching UN security council resolution 661, which tightly restricts exports to Iraq. Under the oil-for-food programme foreign companies are allowed to export machinery solely to maintain existing refineries.

One source said: "We interpret resolution 661 very strongly. We interpret that to mean that it is illegal to do other than maintain what is there [in terms of exports for the oil industry]. Clearly the French and the Germans have done more than that."

Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, insisted yesterday that relations with his French counterpart, Dominique de Villepin, were "very good".

[Dont Mention the War]

The troops roll in and the truth starts pouring out. By the time this is over, France and Germany will be worldwide pariahs, and the UN will be discredited FOREVER!

[Rocky]

"I'm saddened, deeply saddened..." (and shocked, too)

[Kimlee]

No real surprise here.

[bellevuesbest]

You're on fire tonight.

This is just a tidbit; it's far worse than this. France and Germany are way beyond disgrace.

Even though our friends the British have some interest, boycott Airbus!

[Professional]

Depends on what the definition of "food" is.

[Professional]

The troops roll in and the truth starts pouring out. By the time this is over, France and Germany will be worldwide pariahs, and the UN will be discredited FOREVER!

And Clinton will be impeached and removed from office!

[hford02]

I'm sadened shocked and....dismayed

[Keith in Iowa]

>>I'm sadened shocked and....dismayed

Deeply??

[MadIvan]

French duplicity ping.

[MadIvan]

Those bastards. Those utter bastards.

Regards, Ivan

[Tempest]

I don't get it? Why is a British newspaper refering to documents released by their own goverment as propaganda?

[Dont Mention the War]

I don't get it? Why is a British newspaper refering to documents released by their own goverment as propaganda?

Because it's The Guardian. They're hard-left socialists. Blair haters.

[Ippolita]

Look at this too:

http://www.iht.com/articles/90514.html

How France and Germany stand to gain more than most by US War effort.

[Winniesboy]

"Even though our friends the British have some interest, boycott Airbus!"

Actually it's rather more than "some interest" - in fact it's virtually the whole of our remaining large civil aircraft industry - so I'd rather you didn't!

[Mike Fieschko]

bttt

[David Isaac]

Very good shot.

The truth hurts or the truth shall set you free, depending on the clarity of thought of the hearer of the truth.

[momofsixgirls]

bump for later reading.

[demkicker]

"I don't get it? Why is a British newspaper refering to documents released by their own goverment as propaganda?"

Because the hard left considers the truth propaganda. Incredible, isn't it?

[B4Ranch]

The train was very crowded, so the soldier walked the length of the train, looking for an empty seat. The only unoccupied seat was directly adjacent to a well dressed middle aged lady and was being used by her little dog.

The war weary soldier asked, "Please, ma'am, may I sit in that seat?" The French woman looked down her nose at the soldier, sniffed and said, "You Americans. You are such a rude class of people. Can't you see my Little Fife is using that seat?"

The soldier walked away, determined to find a place to rest, but after another trip down to the end of the train, found himself again facing the woman with the dog.

Again he asked, "Please, lady. May I sit there? I'm very tired." The French woman wrinkled her nose and snorted, "You Americans! Not only are you rude, you are also arrogant. Imagine!"

The soldier didn't say anything else; he leaned over, picked up the little dog, tossed it out the window of the train and sat down in the empty seat. The woman shrieked and railed, and demanded that someone defend her and chastise the soldier.

An English gentleman sitting across the aisle spoke up, "You know, sir, you Americans do seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong thing. You eat holding the fork in the wrong hand. You drive your autos on the wrong side of the road. And now, sir, you've thrown the wrong bitch out the window."