UN must define how Iraq sanctions lifted: Chirac

Agence France-Presse (AFP) ^ | 4-17-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

ATHENS, April 17 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday the United Nations must decide exactly how sanctions on Iraq should be lifted, after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Speaking after US President George W. Bush called for an end to the UN-administered "oil-for-food" program, Chirac reiterated that the United Nations must play a central role in post-war Iraq.

"The lifting of sanctions is an aim which we have supported for a long time. Now it is naturally for the UN to define the modalities for lifting the sanctions," he said.

"France wants the UN to play a central role, both in the next steps over Iraq and in the context of stability which must be re-established in the region," he added.

Bush called on Wednesday for the United Nations to lift sanctions on Iraq now that Saddam Hussein regime has "passed into history".

He said Washington would "in the near future" offer a UN resolution ending the UN-administered "oil-for-food" program to enable Iraq to sell oil freely on world markets.

The French leader was speaking after talks in Athens with UN chief Kofi Annan, who was invited to an EU summit designed to sign an historic accession treaty but clouded by Iraq.

Chirac, who was fiercely opposed to the war in Iraq, also reiterated his desire to proceed "pragmatically" now the war is all but over.

"Faithful to its principles, France will naturally broach these questions in a pragmatic manner, case by case," he said, adding that he had discussed the issues with Annan.

"I indicated that France would support his action in every possible way," he added.

Asked how France expected to work with the US and British forces in Iraq, Chirac replied "in the way which will be defined by the UN."

Annan meanwhile said that the United Nations must be given adequate resources to fulfill a role in Iraq.

"Any role entrusted to the United Nations, beyond the purely humanitarian, (must be) consistent with the (UN) Charter, and matched by the necessary resources," he said.

"The Iraqi people ... have suffered terribly, and they deserve a better future. Their most immediate needs now are for public order and safety, and for humanitarian relief," he added.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Quelqu'un a besoin de dire M. Chirac pour fermer le f--- en haut.

[sarasota]

D'accord.

[xsmommy]

blow it out your....ear...jacques....

[Wphile]

Hey Jacques: The UN needs to decide JACK!

[Dog Gone]

Good, another chance for the French to make us hate them even more.

[Tennessee_Bob]

"The Iraqi people ... have suffered terribly, and they deserve a better future

Funny you should say that - why didn't you support us?

[TheBigB]

"France wants..." The UN demands..."

God, I'm sick of these people. Tell them to go to Hell.

[smith288]

How to lift them? Just friggin lift them...Or else Iraq will ignore it just like they always do.

[Catspaw]

Shaddup, Jacques. You're irrelevant.

[snooker]

Just frigging ignore the sanctions. Don't we have everything they would need in our economy? and can't we use all the oil they can pump?

Don't see any problem.

Besides we might get a bump in the economy.

[LOC1]

Perhaps the US should just buy the oil from Iraq at a price tied to say the price of Arab Light crude, then resell it at the same price to whomever wants to buy it. The Iraqi's could use the money to buy whatever they wanted from whomever they wanted.

We can just declare that the sanctions are ended.

[eureka!]

Memo to Jaqueass Chiraq: Those sanctions were against the prior regime. Like your contracts, they went *poof* with Saddam's regime's fall. Hehehehe.....

[inquest]

And Russia was saying that we shouldn't lift sanctions until we've verified that there are no WMD in Iraq. No, I didn't get this from The Onion. It's amazing how transparent these people are. Now that they can't have control of the oil, they all of the sudden don't want sanctions lifted. What a coincidence!

[YOMO]

Speaking after US President George W. Bush called for an end to the UN-administered "oil-for-food" program, Chirac reiterated that the United Nations must play a central role in post-war Iraq.
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The only Central Role I can see os that of the UN sitting on the Docks and waving Good Bye to the Ships leaving with relief supplies.

"The lifting of sanctions is an aim which we have supported for a long time. Now it is naturally for the UN to define the modalities for lifting the sanctions,"
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So lift them already. What is to define?

"France wants the UN to play a central role, both in the next steps over Iraq and in the context of stability which must be re-established in the region,"
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What part of Game is over do they not understand? The time to EARN that right was before the WAR.

Bush called on Wednesday for the United Nations to lift sanctions on Iraq now that Saddam Hussein regime as "passed into history". He said Washington would "in the near future" offer a UN resolution ending the UN-administered "oil-for-food" program to enable Iraq to sell oil freely on world markets.
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This should be their last CHANCE to be Meaningful.

[mtbopfuyn]

So, Chirac will support anything Kofi wants but will veto anything America proposes. That's it, keep running his mouth and watch France slip further into economic disaster.

[ZULU]

Mosseur Chirac, how many fingers do you see??

[PMCarey]

UN must define how Iraq sanctions lifted: Chirac

It's actually very simple: The United States, Britain, and other coalition partners will begin trading with Iraq. France, Germany, Russia, and China will just continue to do what they did when the sanctions were in place - but just not in secret.

[Torie]

I don't continuing sanctions because the UN doesn't like its degree of influence in Iraq is a sustainable position. It would however make for a fun security council debate if France decides to actually seriously push for that point of view. It mean that the purpose of the sanctions would be to punish Iraq because the US has too much influence, not because Iraq is not cooperating in ridding itself of WMD. I will believe it when I see it.

[Quix]

Lord, God,

Please make wordless farts be the only utterances that come out of this evil turkey publically or privately about any public issues.

Please take him off the public stage ASAP.

In Your Name, Amen.

[KC_for_Freedom]

You are right, and the UN, if it wants to can hold a session and vote to lift sanctions, or they can become less relavent it they wish.