Free Republic

PARIS - After a 13-year interruption, France and Iraq intend to re-establish diplomatic relations within the next few days, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi met Monday with Bernard Bajolet, France's highest diplomatic representative in Iraq, and discussed restoration of ties that Saddam Hussein broke off in 1991 during the Gulf War, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "Mr. Allawi said he wanted to do it as fast as possible so that France can participate in the reconstruction of Iraq," the spokesman said. "We welcomed that very positively." France opposed the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam...