Free Republic

LONDON - French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) sought to downplay strains in their relationship over the war in Iraq (news - web sites) and pledged Thursday to make every effort to revitalize the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. At a joint news conference after the leaders met in London, Blair and Chirac said their deep differences over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq would not stop them from working closely together on alleviating poverty in Africa, global warming and a host of other issues. Chirac, an arch critic of the war, called it the...

Our nations must unite, says QueenBy Caroline Davies in Paris (Filed: 06/04/2004) The Queen yesterday urged Britain and France to put aside their differences and stand together in the war against terrorism. In a rare foray into the political arena, she emphasised that the two countries, at odds over the military campaign in Iraq, must not allow "immediate political pressures" to divide them at a time of great uncertainty and threat. Addressing a state banquet in Paris to mark the centenary of Britain's historic Entente Cordiale agreement with France, she praised the way the two nations had stood together "resolute...