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France’s £150m deals ‘linked to Iraq arms’
The Sunday Times ^ | February 23, 2003 | Stephen Grey and Jon Ugoed-Thomas

Posted on 02/22/2003 3:30:57 PM PST by MadIvan

FRENCH companies have signed contracts with Iraq worth more than £150m that are suspected of being linked to its military operations, confidential documents reveal.

Mobile laboratories, chemicals and communications equipment are among the goods being peddled by the French in Iraq. Britain and America have successfully objected to more than 150 of the deals but many similar contracts have been given the go-ahead after lobbying by the French.

A senior US official last week warned of weaknesses in United Nations restrictions. “We have a concern that there have been contracts, legal ones, that have supplied component parts (for the Iraqi military).”

The documents, including names of thousands of companies that trade with Baghdad, were leaked as France faces accusations that its conciliatory line towards Iraq is heavily influenced by its extensive business links to the country.

It also emerged last week that a leading French business lobby group was advising companies of “juicy” deals in Baghdad because of American and British reluctance to trade there.

Endorsed by Thierry Mariani, an MP from President Jacques Chirac’s party, the website of the French Office for the Development of Industry and Culture declares: “Iraq has always been an ally of France. The Iraqi government saved our country economically during the oil crisis of 1974.” Praising religious tolerance and women’s rights in Iraq, it added that “Iraq has always condemned terrorism”.

The goods offered by French companies to Iraq and detailed in internal UN documents include:

One set of documents showed £79m worth of contracts blocked or abandoned after objections raised by Britain and America. Another list reveals £74m worth of contracts approved after French lobbying and despite initial objections or concerns raised by British or American officials.

The documents reveal how French businesses have become increasingly bold in their efforts to sell goods that American officials argue are banned under sanctions.

Despite efforts to block the deals, US intelligence officials warn that many products already sold under similar contracts have been diverted to the Iraqi military.

The goods are offered to Iraq under an “oil for food” programme introduced in 1996 to alleviate the effects of sanctions on the population. France, along with China and Russia, accounts for nearly a quarter of the programme.

The UN documents also reveal that more objections have been lodged against French export contracts with Iraq than any other exporting country.

One of the leading US national security laboratories analysed more than 6,000 oil-for-food contracts and warned of the military capability of many of the goods.

The classified report from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, seen by The Sunday Times, warned of one deal by a French company to supply laboratory equipment as offering Iraq a “significant direct application” for weapons of mass destruction programme.

The report said the most worrying contract was for pesticide offered for sale to Iraq by Jordan. According to the report, the pesticide had VX, a chemical warfare agent, as its backbone and was “only two or more steps” from being VX.

The laboratory also highlighted a deal to sell the Iraqis high-speed patrol boats from an unidentified country. It pointed out the use of such boats was “almost exclusively military”.

French companies contacted last week that were involved in blocked or controversial contracts with Iraq all pointed out that their exports were handled through the UN and all official instructions were followed.

“We supply pretty standard laboratory equipment”, said one. “The company is happy to sell only if the UN approves, but we don’t lose any sleep if the contracts are blocked.”


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: blair; bush; chirac; france; iraq; saddam; uk; us; warlist
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You've got some bloody damn explaining to do, Jacques.

Regards, Ivan


1 posted on 02/22/2003 3:30:58 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: UofORepublican; kayak; LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR; keats5; Don'tMessWithTexas; Dutchy; ...
Bump!
2 posted on 02/22/2003 3:31:18 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
Forget about what is currently on paper. If France succeeds in derailing the US, imagine the price Saddam would be willing to pay ?
3 posted on 02/22/2003 3:35:58 PM PST by VRWC_minion ( Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
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To: MadIvan
Chirac may have his moment in the sun now, but I see the sunset on the horizon Ivan. He is not going to like the downside of his fame.
4 posted on 02/22/2003 3:36:02 PM PST by judicial meanz ( socialism- its a mental disorder, not a political view.)
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To: MadIvan
Well why didn't they just say it comes down to money. Any red blooded Amercian can understand that....
5 posted on 02/22/2003 3:37:00 PM PST by Lysander (smoke 'em if ya got 'em)
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To: MadIvan
The French, they're worse than democrats!
6 posted on 02/22/2003 3:38:08 PM PST by tet68 (Jeremiah 51:24 ..."..Before your eyes I will repay Babylon for all the wrong they have done in Zion")
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To: MadIvan; *war_list; 11th_VA; Libertarianize the GOP; Free the USA; PhiKapMom; cavtrooper21; ...
AHA! Chirac is trying to pull a fast one!

“The company is happy to sell only if the UN approves.

And the UN isn't clean either!>

Forming up a ping list here for War_List.

Anyone want on or off send me a Freep mail.
I can see the volume getting high.
I want on anyones bump list for articles going on the War_List

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

7 posted on 02/22/2003 3:43:28 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Nuke Saddam and his Baby Milk Factories!!)
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To: MadIvan; Ernest_at_the_Beach; mhking; hchutch; nicmarlo; Grampa Dave
This was leaked to discredit the French position....we are in the END GAME phase now..

One week ......

8 posted on 02/22/2003 3:43:58 PM PST by Dog (Life , Liberty and the pursuit of those who threaten it...)
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To: Dog
Doesn't matter if it's leaked. This has the ring of truth about it, and explains Chirac's desperation.

If so, as I say, "Jacques, you have some damn explaining to do." If one American or British soldier is killed by equipment the French sold the Iraqis illicitly, I dare say it will be time to tear strips out of THEIR hide.

Regards, Ivan

9 posted on 02/22/2003 3:48:58 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
NO MORE WMD's for OIL- France and Germany!!
10 posted on 02/22/2003 3:49:12 PM PST by Kay Soze (F France and Germany- They are our enemies.)
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To: Dog
It is a matter of days, perhaps a week till some kind of diplomatic breach but the work has already started incountry, I have no doubt.

The air campaign, is creeping up, the only reason it's not in the press is because we are hitting his secret command and control sites (which Iraq is not about to admit) and not civilians.
11 posted on 02/22/2003 3:49:50 PM PST by tet68 (Jeremiah 51:24 ..."..Before your eyes I will repay Babylon for all the wrong they have done in Zion")
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To: MadIvan
When the liberals, parasitic ungrateful Islamists in the West and pro-totalitarian left scream that "IT'S ABOUT OIL", I would say to them, "I agree; Yes, France IS concerned about oil. Isn't it."
12 posted on 02/22/2003 3:56:48 PM PST by DoctorMichael (The French eat le Ca-Ca!)
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To: DoctorMichael
I would say to them, "I agree; Yes, France IS concerned about oil. Isn't it."

I can say that I have never been more disgusted with the French than I am now. Their behaviour is thoroughly sickening.

Regards, Ivan

13 posted on 02/22/2003 4:08:00 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: DoctorMichael; MadIvan
Of course it's about oil - the sweetheart deal the French got in exchange for all the nuke technology they provided Saddam. What a disgusting lot.
14 posted on 02/22/2003 4:39:12 PM PST by mountaineer
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To: MadIvan
That explains why France is so demmed hot to keep us from flattening Saddam.
it would spoil thier contracts, after all.
And that's just not sporting of us Yanks. *Bah!*
Let's flatten those nations that support terror, like France.
15 posted on 02/22/2003 4:47:41 PM PST by Darksheare (<====The sky eyes are watching, and blinking for want of Visine...)
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To: MadIvan
bingo.
16 posted on 02/22/2003 5:08:51 PM PST by I'm ALL Right!
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To: Darksheare
Let's flatten those nations that support terror, like France.

Given the mood I'm in, I couldn't agree with you more.

Regards, Ivan

17 posted on 02/22/2003 5:08:52 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: Grampa Dave
Smoking gun ping.
18 posted on 02/22/2003 5:09:32 PM PST by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
this explains alot. they just wanted to keep their weapons that they gave to iraq in tact
19 posted on 02/22/2003 5:15:36 PM PST by Marines981 ("God, Marines, and Country")
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To: MadIvan
I've been musing for a couple of weeks that Chirac's behavior on this affair has gotten way too bizarre, even for a frenchman. Someone else suggested that Saddam owns Chirac from a bribery standpoint. Looking like that may just be the tip of the iceberg, and looking more and more like France's real reason for all their anti-war puke may be as simple (and sinister) as a fear of Saddam's WMDs being found, along with their source.

On second thought, scratch all that. I just noticed that all the contracts were approved by the UN, and I know they wouldn't let anything untoward take place.

Ahem.

MM

20 posted on 02/22/2003 5:24:28 PM PST by MississippiMan
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