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Europe
France, Germany skeptical of U.S. resolution
2003-09-04
A U.S.-backed proposal to enlist U.N. help for the occupation of Iraq appears "rather far from the main objective" of restoring self-rule there, France and Germany said Thursday, and they called for the United Nations to take over responsibility for the country’s political reconstruction. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder discussed the U.S. proposal at a meeting in the German city of Dresden. Schroeder said his government has not yet seen all the details of the United States’ plan, but of course it won’t matter because they’re against it anyway, after all it’s an American plan but said that from what he knows at this point, it "doesn’t go far enough" to involve the United Nations in the reconstruction.

Chirac said that he and Schroeder ... would study the U.S. proposal to see how much oil they can get out of it at the old Saddam prices "from a very positive point of view." But he said France will may recommend changes to a proposed U.N. resolution. "It does appear to be really rather far from the main objective, which is to keep the Americans in check, and allow the old regime back in power which is that of transferring political responsibility to me an Iraqi government as soon as possible," Chirac said. Schroeder said the proposal may get German support only if "we can sell lots of German-made cars in Iraq" the United Nations could "take charge of the political process, and if indeed possible, to establish a German-Franco government an Iraqi government responsible for selling cars and pumping oil functioning of the country." Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that his country would not rule out sending a peacekeeping force to help restore order under U.N. auspices but only if we get the same deal as Germany & France. Ivanov cautioned that such a deployment would be possible if a U.N. Security Council resolution on the issue is passed unanimously and is properly written by Germany,France, & Russia worded. "A final decision will also depend on the extent to which we can make lots ’o money in Iraq international standards are upheld in Iraq," he said. "It is in Russia’s vital interests that oil starts flowing at the lower prices as before legitimate authorities and law and order are reinstated in Iraq as soon as possible."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters Thursday it is time for France, Germany, Russia to get bent the allies to put pre-war differences behind them to support Iraq’s reconstruction. "We all have same interests now — to kick terrorist ass sustain a prosperous Iraq," Blair said. "And whatever disagreements there have been with France and Germany over issues of the war, I can assure you, they are still the same chocolate making weasels absolutely committed to making life hard for Bush, Powell doing what they can to get as much out of Iraq as possible help Iraq succeed in future." Under the White House’s draft resolution, the United States would keep a "dominant role" in the Iraq occupation and be in command of any multinational peacekeeping mission, to correct all the French SNAFUs U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday. But the resolution would give the United Nations a minimal greater role in Iraq’s political and economic reconstruction and establish what Powell termed a "political horizon" for the restoration of self-rule.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Posted by:Rafael

#11  Bush is once again making them an offer they can't accept. He did it with the Taliban, with the French and with Saddam. He's about to go another round with the French. My feeling is that the point of this resolution is so Bush can say I tried. At the end of this, the American people will be even more disgusted with the UN than they already were after the problems with getting UN concurrence with the invasion of Iraq.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2003-9-5 12:12:44 AM  

#10  Jeez--maybe if we could get Halliburton away from the trough and share the plunder with the Euros--they'd jump on board! How cynical to think that the French would want some economic benefit if they put their soldiers on the line in Iraq!
Posted by: Not Mike Moore   2003-9-4 11:20:53 PM  

#9   Of course France will veto it. France's new angle is extortion. (Ref: Libya) It seems to be the only "political" means of France accomplishing anything.
Posted by: Paul   2003-9-4 8:49:43 PM  

#8  I don't think Bush is actually an anti-UN guy (like I am.) He is not the type to be able to fake sincerity and his address to the General Assembly certainly looked sincere.

Reagan (at least in the 70's) was a proponet of the US pulling out of the UN. I don't remember that he ever addressed the assembly or worked through consensus/oalitions other than NATO.

I could be wrong.
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-9-4 8:17:14 PM  

#7  Somehow I think Bush is counting on the French veto. Even the most cynical countries will then start to see the UN for what it is. That will make it easier to push through reforms that may save the UN (such as making the French veto a European one) which I think Bush hopes to do despite the UN itself.
Posted by: Yank   2003-9-4 5:05:33 PM  

#6  If the Russians side with the US than the Frenchposition will be "doggie style."
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-9-4 3:08:17 PM  

#5  Matt - Yup. It's all about oil. For France and Russia, that is.

eL
Posted by: eLarson   2003-9-4 2:26:10 PM  

#4  The French position, as it has been from day 1, will be: What's in it for us? What contracts do we get? And I'll be surprised if Vlad cooperates without ratification of those umpteen billion dollar contracts.
Posted by: Matt   2003-9-4 2:10:26 PM  

#3  I saw somewhere that the Chinese said that this is what they want to see and have been pushing for. That pretty much leaves the chocoloate makers off on their own on this one.
Posted by: Dishman   2003-9-4 1:48:26 PM  

#2  Will France veto?

Does Chirac eat snails? Of course France will veto. They'll make more conciliatory noises this time, having learned their lesson, but in the end if it doesn't give the French what they want, they'll find a way to veto.

"It doesn't establish a legitimate government in Iraq" -- as if Iraq has had one the last thirty years.

"It permits the occupying powers to retain control of security." -- as if we want Uruguayan peacekeepers in Tikrit.

"The UN peacekeepers must be under UN command." -- as if Vlad wants his boys led by a Frenchman. Vlad knows quality when he sees it.

I'm sure there's additional lame excuses reasons coming from the French.
Posted by: Steve White   2003-9-4 1:41:08 PM  

#1  I think the Russians have approved the Resolution and committed troops. They are acting in concert with the US in several arenas. They don't seem to have attended the summit with France and Germany. I doubt that China will work against US interests due to the NK situation. If Powell/Rumsfeld/Bush has worked a deal to create a "coalition" in the NK situation that extends to support in Iraq than they have acted brilliantly. It would be a case of improving leverage in a locally unsolvable situation by zooming out and working the bigger picture.

I may be succumbing to an overall psychotic episode, but if my fanciful scenerio plays out, will France veto?
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-9-4 12:52:49 PM  

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