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International
De Villepin: no new battle fronts
2003-04-14
Foreign minister says time not right to apply pressure on Syria
The right time would've been years ago, but we're remedying that unfortunate delay.
Visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said Sunday that the international community should concentrate on rebuilding Iraq rather than “opening new battle fronts.” Speaking to reporters at Beirut International Airport after meeting with Lebanese leaders, de Villepin said the time was inappropriate for Washington to apply pressure on Syria.
”Please! You can’t find out anything else we’ve done! It will discredit us in the international world!”
When asked on France’s position toward Washington’s accusations against Damascus, he called for “consultation and dialogue” to resolve the current conflict in Iraq, rather than escalating pressure. “The time is for consultation, for dialogue and we should be consolidating our energies to try and find solutions because we have enough problems,” he said.

 Like the French.
“To find a solution, we need to have concerted action,” he said, calling for “dialogue between all the countries of the region and with the international community, Europe and the United States.” He added that after the collapse of Iraqi regime, “the Middle East does not need a new war. We have to concentrate on giving the Iraqi people the victory they deserve.” He also focused on the need to restore security in Iraq and establish a representative Iraqi government.
We’re already working on it, twit.
In recent weeks, Syria has been subjected to verbal attacks from members of the US administration. It has repeatedly been accused of aiding Iraq and of providing military and logistical help to Baghdad. “Democracy cannot be imposed, it needs to be created in a climate of respect,” France’s top diplomat said. He stressed that “international law is capable of finding a solution to guarantee Iraq’s future and it is illogical that the UN’s role be limited to humanitarian aspects, since we cannot dissociate them from military and political aspects.”
Yeah – the UN did SO well finding a solution to Saddam. *snort*
During his 24-hour visit to Beirut, de Villepin met with President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri before heading for Riyadh, the last stop in his Mideast tour. De Villepin also visited Cairo and Damascus. Before his departure, he held a joint conference at Beirut airport with his Lebanese counterpart, Mahmoud Hammoud.
Aw, COME ON! That name HAS to have been made up!
Asked about his position on the Syrian presence in Lebanon, he said that “France is keen on seeing the fulfilment of the Taif Accords,” which ended the Lebanese civil war and called for a phased pull out of Syrian troops. Hammoud reiterated the official stance, that Syria’s presence here is legitimate and had the full endorsement of the local authorities. Earlier in Baabda Palace, Lahoud warned that the escalation of violence in Iraq and in the Occupied Territories will increase terrorism. He also called on the European Union and the United Nations to step in before it becomes too late. Lahoud also lauded French President Jacques Chirac’s anti-war position and his keenness on seeing the UN take over in Iraq. He reaffirmed that any possible solution to the Iraqi conflict had to come through the League of United Nations, adding that its role should not be limited to humanitarian issues.
Looking forward to the Food for Nooky program, is he?
Lahoud said that the current political vacuum and the subsequent chaos in Iraq will have negative repercussions for the region’s future. Regarding the so-called “road map” for regional peace, which was endorsed by the EU, Russia, the US and the UN and which calls for a Palestinian state within three years, Lahoud said it was too early to take a position on the plan since it had yet to be published. Lahoud said it seemed Israel was trying to place conditions on the plan, which could not be accepted by Lebanon, such as the nationalization of refugees in their countries of residence. In addition, Lahoud repeated that Lebanon’s refusal to settle Palestinian refugees was final and one of the pillars of the Taif Accord. He also stressed the importance of activating the road map without any alteration, as a necessary step toward achieving peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Lahoud said that the mechanism for peace should begin with the publication of the plan, and be followed by the declaration of a cease-fire on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
Yes
 their previous cease-fires went smashingly.
He also called for steps to shoulder the development of the Palestinian state and the holding an international assembly to declare a Palestinian state. Discussing the peace plan and Iraq is high on de Villepin’s agenda during his tour. De Villepin said the French and Lebanese positions on the Iraqi conflict were in agreement, with both calling for a UN sponsored solution.
“We’ll veto if you want to go to war, we’ll veto if you want the UN to do anything after the war, we want a UN resolution 
 BLAH BLAH BLAHH BLAH.. “
De Villepin also briefed Lahoud on the Saint Petersburg summit between French President Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and on the preparations for an upcoming European summit in Greece next week. In Ain al-Mreisseh, the speaker said Washington’s repeated threats to Damascus in recent weeks did not concern its help to Iraq, but were rather aimed at “deterring any objection movement to what is to come regarding the Palestinian cause.”
Showing his astute understanding of absolutely nothing, again. Gotta find something to take care of that De Villepin.
Posted by:Tadderly

#9  We have to concentrate on giving the Iraqi people the victory they deserve.”

My aren't we getting plural lately.
Posted by: elbud   2003-04-14 20:28:47  

#8  From Best Of The Web today:
Meanwhile, France's Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin was in Damascus over the weekend, meeting with the Syrian FM, Farouk al-Sharaa. CNN reports on a hilarious exchange between the two:

Talking about the Bush administration's military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, Sharaa questioned the United States' motive.

"Look at all these things: Is Afghanistan stable? Have their objectives been achieved? Have they found Osama bin Laden?" he asked, before mentioning the "looting and lawlessness" that followed the fall of Saddam's regime.

"They've left a mess in both these countries and they're not finished. Now turning their attention to a third country," he said. "Historians talk about the Second World War and how the Germans should have been stopped earlier."

Then, just before Sharaa was about to compare the Bush administration to Nazi Germany, France's de Villepin stopped him.

"You do not want to make this comparison," de Villepin said. "Don't do this."
Posted by: Frank G   2003-04-14 18:19:16  

#7  According to Devil Pin and his boss ChIraq, there is no "right time" for Uncle Sam to be anythying but a patsy for the UN, EU, and AW.
Posted by: KP   2003-04-14 17:14:21  

#6  Foreign minister says time not right to apply pressure on Syria

For the French, NO time is ever right.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-04-14 16:05:06  

#5  Frogger couldn't be any more wrong about the timing of US pressure on Syria. We have 300k motivated, battle-tested troops next door. We know a bunch of leading Iratqis are scurrying their way. It's likely that Syria is babysitting Iraqi WMD and scientists. Plus we get Hezbollah off Israel's back in the bargain (and further put the screws to Iran). It's win, win, win, win to me.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-04-14 15:19:46  

#4  In fake news today:

Visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said Sunday that the international community should concentrate on rebuilding Iraq rather than “opening new battle fronts.” Speaking to reporters at Beirut International Airport after meeting with Lebanese leaders, de Villepin said the time was appropriate for Washington to apply pressure on Syria to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime deals on undelivered orders of UN-disallowed munitions and other military equipment. Said de Villepin, "Well, we suspect that the United States would be more inclined to realize the good the UN can do as a body once our American allies get a taste of the sweet life that can also be had by pimping illegal weapons to terrorist states. I grant that it's no picnic to wake up every morning and realize that one has spent the night in a drunken haze with Germany, but that and supporting genocidal maniancs is a small price to pay for making enough money to buy all the brie one could ever want."

de Villepin then vowed to make this year's Tour de France so difficult that Lance Armstrong could not possibly win. "We're just sick and tired of everybody being better at everything than we are."
Posted by: FormerLiberal   2003-04-14 14:44:09  

#3  Villepin needs a dose of Foghorn Leghorn:
Go away, ah says go away son, ya bother me.
Posted by: Jim   2003-04-14 14:21:45  

#2  de Villepin: le bag du breeze....Call the Kyoto Global Warming cops on him. They signed the treaty.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-04-14 14:15:56  

#1  France wants us to back off on Syria - Ok let talk. How about we get something in return - like a UNSC resolution authorizing our position in Iraq (without conceding political control to UN) plus foregiveness of Iraqi debts???

Its good to be magnanimous after victory, but we still have alot to talk about with the French. Each day that reveals French/Russian illegal weapons sales to Iraq, more evidence of WMD,improvement of the situation on the ground in Iraq,etc makes the axis of weasels position weaker. So lets talk, but not be too quick to cut a deal with people whose negotiating position is crumbling.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-04-14 13:42:27  

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