France and Germany approve U.S. plan for Iraq

AP via Sun Media ^ | May 3, 2003 | Robert Wielaard

[Clive]

KASTELLORIZO, Greece (AP) - France and Germany, America's harshest critics of the Iraq war, have reluctantly endorsed a U.S. plan to divide Iraq into three zones and deploy a stabilization force that excludes them.

The initiative, unveiled Saturday as the European Union foreign ministers met on a Greek Aegean island, appeared to take EU officials by surprise. Some said they only learned of it from news reports quoting officials travelling with U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who was on a visit to London.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said the plan "is not a new situation and is not in contradiction with our discussion about giving the United Nations a role in postwar Iraq."

The Americans "can do what they want. This does not bother us at all," said a French diplomat.

The United States plans to set up an international military force in three regions of Iraq, with Poland and Britain controlling two zones and U.S. forces the third, U.S. officials said. They said Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Ukraine and Bulgaria would provide troops.

Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewiczs told reporters "this is a fresh responsibility for my country, but we are ready to share it."

Poland "would prefer" a UN Security Council resolution endorsing the stabilization force, but that it should go ahead without one, if necessary, Cimoszewiczs said.

"We see a vital role for the United Nations in humanitarian relief," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told reporters after the meeting.

He briefed Fischer and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on the sidelines of the EU meeting.

He said there was no attempt to sideline France and Germany, although that appeared to be the case. He called past disagreements over Iraq "a matter of history" and said it is time to look forward rather than back.

The ministers agreed to mend the transatlantic relationship that was damaged in the months before the war.

They asked the EU head office to draft a strategy on how Europeans can better deal with such issues as international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of unstable countries.

[Lion Den Dan]

I am so relieved the the French approve le plan and the Germans sind sehr voll mitt der Plan. Glad you posted this as I could not stand having them against us one more minute.

[agitator]

As if anything Germany and France had to say mattered.

[justshe]

Every time I read a story like this, I get this mental image of France, Germany and Russia playing Rock/Paper/Scissors. Looks like Russia lost the "Support the Iraq Plan" round.

[Bonaparte]

If the French and Germans approve, maybe we should re-evaluate our plan. There must be something wrong with it, although I have to say I like the idea of consigning the UN to being the coffee and donuts fetcher. "Here's a quarter, now run along, sonny." Hehehe...

[green team 1999]

bump

[Faraday]

The Americans "can do what they want. This does not bother us at all," said a French diplomat.

Sweet! We were really worried there. Seems like the Europeon Union counterbalance to the US has gotten off to a typical French start. Immediate surrender!

[Arpege92]

Oh goody....the french and germans approve!

[duckbutt]

well whoopteedo -- like I really care what the Frenchies and Germans think.....yeah right......

[Michael_S]

Thank goodness. I was awake all last night wondering if the two of the most irrelevant nations on earth approved of the US plan.

Whew!!!!

[river rat]

They approve!
That's just peachy neat...

Now, they have my approval to kiss my hairy ass.

Semper Fi

[jagrmeister]

It's sad to watch Germany and France slowly grasp that their opinion no longer matters. Their antagonism was so vociferous and unreasoned that we no longer heed their counsel. They presumed to hold sway over world affairs at the Security Council only to find out that the US could act with or without their approval. Now, they sheepishly accept the reality of the world- which is America will pursue its own interests in collaboration with willing partners.

[microgood]

ROTFL... I trust them now. We should give France their oil contracts back now.

[Malesherbes]

Little Israel is a more significant military force than either France or Germany. France has one aircraft carrier that breaks down every time it goes to sea. Germany has a bunch of rusting tanks designed to stop the Russians, and no airlift. They had to send their contingent to Afganistan on Ukrainian!!! planes.