France against publishing secret documents on Iraq's weapons programs

Agence France-Presse | 9/04/02

[kattracks]

France said it was against publishing top-secret evidence on Iraq's alleged development of weapons of mass destruction, saying the public arena was not the place to wage such a campaign.

"These are not issues which we can deal with publicly. This calls for serenity and seriousness, and we should therefore beware of any leaks and any saber-rattling proposals," Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin told France Info radio.

On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would in the coming weeks release damning information about Baghdad's alleged efforts to develop nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, to prove the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

The foreign minister said that France and Britain had shared information on the proof of such a weapons program. and it "is out of the question to divulge these exchanges."

De Villepin said it was important to act responsibly in evaluating whether a "country could own chemical or biological weapons, and if it could turn into a threat."

He added it was important that France evaluate such risks together with its European partners.

"The international community is today very worried, which justifies our determination in the face of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

Washington on Wednesday stepped up its war rhetoric, with President George W. Bush calling Saddam Hussein a "serious threat" and saying he would take his case against Iraq to the United Nations next week.

De Villepin said "France, the world, cannot accommodate such a risk, and that is why we demand with insistance the return of the UN (weapons) inspectors to Iraq and that the country conforms with the demands of the international community."

If it did, he stressed, it was up to the UN Security Council to decide on any international action.

UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in 1998 in the face of an imminent US and British missile attack on Baghdad, and have since been barred from returning despite insistent UN demands.

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

You may find it even more efffective in French:


En raison des positions anti-Américaines du govenment français, je jamais encore voyagerai en France ou dépenserai un penny en produit français. En outre, je vais faire partie d'une campagne pour boycotter votre petit pays lâche.

[facedown]

UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in 1998 in the face of an imminent US and British missile attack on Baghdad, and have since been barred from returning despite insistent UN demands.

Where did this come from?

[Constitution Day]

"Regardez, je s'est laver mes mains."

I think. High school French was quite a while ago.

[Dog]

Ivan whatever is hidden from us .....just caused Chirac to go public very panicked.

[templar]

Will France be forced into war, but on the losing side?

Don't the words "France" and "war" in the same sentence imply "loosing side"?

[Mo1]

Here's a translator site for those emails ...

http://www.world.altavista.com/

[MadIvan]

Ivan whatever is hidden from us .....just caused Chirac to go public very panicked.

Well here is where it gets even more...interesting. Unlike Britain and the USA, most French defence contractors have shares owned by the government, or are nationalised. So many French companies selling things to Iraq can be directly construed as the French government selling things to Iraq.

Regards, Ivan

[BlueNgold]

Exactly. Methinks that France would:
#1 be implicated as an enabler in this development and be highly embarassed by the information, and
#2 be forced to acknowledge the very real threat that exists and therefore have to change positions and support the 'regime change' efforts in Iraq.

I can't think of any other viable reasons to supress such information, unless {sarcasm} France has vital intel assets in place and is trying to protect them - {/sarcasm}

[Aric2000]

Give the "world community" the middle finger and start killing dictators.

and a big old BTTT

[Mo1]

just caused Chirac to go public very panicked

I think you're right ..

[Dog]

Would I be out of line to suggest if what is hidden is fully known this could bring down the French government??

[RightWhale]

Sure. It's redundant. It wasn't always so. There was, uh, or uh, . . . Hold on a minute, think my freezer needs defrosting.

[Guillermo]

Anyone who knows history knows that the French ALWAYS look for ways to abandon their allies. And they usually come up with some kind of flimsy excuse.

They never change.

[MadIvan]

Would I be out of line to suggest if what is hidden is fully known this could bring down the French government??

I don't think it would, quite frankly, because I don't think the French public cares a jot.

Regards, Ivan

[Shermy]

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/iraq.html
About half way down, powerplays and interests of French and Russian oil cos. in Iraq.

[The Vast Right Wing]

The clearest sign yet that there is mountains of evidence supporting war.

[Servant of the Nine]

If all the documents come out, France could join Iran, Iraq, and North Korea on the Axis of Evil. The Surrender Monkees are the most useless set of allies any Nation Ever Had

SO9

[sam_paine]

the crowning touch will be an island formed in the shape of Saddam's thumb, with the ground contoured exactly to match the leader's fingerprint. "It is so that when God looks down on this mosque he will see Saddam too," said Soler.

And God will be looking down through a USAF or Navy bombsight...

[Diogenesis]

Autant des hommes, autant d'avis.

France seems to have chosen which side it is on, having surrended already.

[MadIvan]

I hope everyone now has a clearer idea of why Britain has fought so many wars against the French...and generally been very successful at it. ;)

Regards, Ivan