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| Iraq |
| Mexico, Canada edge closer to U.S. position... |
| 2003-02-26 |
| U.S. neighbors both north and south are moving to ease the United Nations standoff that has arisen out off competing resolutions on disarming Iraq by the United States, Britain and Spain on one side and France and Germany on the other. Mexico appeared to be the first among a handful of undecided U.N. Security Council members to shift toward the U.S. position on Iraq, The Associated Press has learned. The change in policy for Mexico was first presented in a key address by Mexican President Vicente Fox on Tuesday and then outlined in a new and confidential foreign policy directive obtained by The Associated Press. We had Fox's speech yesterday... Canada, meanwhile offered a plan that could reconcile the bitter differences posed by the U.S.-British-Spanish resolution, which is seeking U.N. authorization for war, and a French-Russian-German proposal to continue weapons inspections at least into July. Canada has circulated a two-page proposal suggesting Iraq be given until the end of March to complete a list of remaining disarmament tasks identified by the inspectors. The council would then be asked to vote on whether Iraq was complying with its U.N. obligations, diplomats told AP. An end of March cut-off, followed by probably a month of argument and recrimination, ending in another cut-off another month or two down the road... A senior Bush Administration official said it was unlikely Russia would veto the U.S.-British-Spanish draft despite Moscow's repeated statements that it opposes war. I'd expect a "reluctant" abstention... There were signs Tuesday that Angola could be swayed to the U.S. position when Angolan Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins said he wanted more "dialogue with the United States to see how we can accommodate each other." I just felt a pain in my checkbook... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #5 And there's going to be a french/american friendship rally on 3/2 in Paris in front of our embassy. Did someone take his tinfoil hat off? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-26 23:23:18 |
| #4 Sully has this tidbit: No firm statement yet either way. TF1 declares that France is putting aside the idea of a veto for the moment. The Communists and Socialists urge a veto, but Chirac's party, officially repesented in the parliament by Alain Juppe, talks instead of looming "noises of mobilization." Meanwhile, we have this odd statement from the increasingly erratic Chirac, after meeting with Spanish prime minister, Aznar: "We oppose all new resolutions." Huh? I thought France was promoting a new one. Maybe Paris at this point just wants the whole issue to go away. I still don't have a clue what Chirac is up to; but I certainly think there are many subtle signs that the French don't want to veto - especially if the Russians and Chinese simply abstain. Solitary French isolation at the U.N., combined with encirclement of Anglospheric nations in the E.U. is becoming France's nightmare. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch, could it? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-26 23:21:51 |
| #3 If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-02-26 15:52:39 |
| #2 As my mom said after 9/11, start the printing presses. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-26 12:06:04 |
| #1 Rent-an-Ally |
| Posted by: phil 2003-02-26 17:09:43 |