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France seeks large role in helping rebuild Iraq
Worried it could be shut out of business deals in post-war Iraq, France is drawing up plans to win French companies access to lucrative oil and reconstruction contracts. The government is determined that French companies will be part of rebuilding Iraq, despite President Jacques Chirac's vigorous opposition to the war, a Finance Ministry official said. Gilles Munier, an executive board member of the French-Iraq Association for Economic Cooperation, said business leaders and government representatives were studying how to gain a foothold in post-war Iraq. He said a meeting between France's most powerful business federation, government leaders and the French-Iraq Association for Economic Cooperation was scheduled for April 3. Might want to think about rescheduling that meeting, guys... The Finance Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed discussions were under way with business leaders about Iraq. Some French are concerned that a U.S.-led administration in Iraq will favor companies from the United States and other pro-war countries while penalizing companies from France and other war opponents. No! Really? Why would they do that? Officials in Paris say French firms' experience in working in Iraq would be an advantage. French companies â many with ties to Baghdad stretching back decades â have established themselves as the largest suppliers of Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-03-25 |
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