President Jacques Chirac said Monday that France was ready to veto the U.S.-backed resolution on Iraq if necessary, joining Russia in saying it would vote against giving Saddam Hussein a March 17 deadline to disarm.
"No matter what the circumstances we will vote 'no,'" Chirac said in a televised interview.
However, Chirac also indicated the veto might not be needed because he believed the resolution might not have the nine Security Council votes needed for passage. "Tonight this resolution, which carries an ultimatum ... does not have a majority of nine votes," Chirac said.
Asked whether he believed that voting against the resolution would seriously damage relations with the United States, Chirac said "I am totally convinced of the opposite."
Chirac said President Bush meant it when he declared a few days ago that "France and Germany are our friends, and will continue to be."
"The latest inspectors' report confirms that there is no need to change" the inspection program currently underway in Iraq, Chirac said. The French president said he would not support military action until the inspectors explicitly tell the U.N. Security Council that they cannot fulfill their objective of certifying that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction.
"Nothing indicates that this path (of inspections) leads to a dead end," Chirac said.
Chirac also said that it would be a "dangerous precedent" if the United States went ahead with a war unilaterally. He added that France would not participate in such a fight. "We are not engaged and we will not be if there is not a decision by the U.N.," he said.
"The inspectors believe that by giving them the necessary time and means, the objective of eliminating weapons of mass destruction can be reached," Chirac said.
Chirac said his decision on traveling to New York to attend a possible vote depends on how many other leaders agree to be present.
Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned Washington on Monday that -- without U.N. Security Council backing -- a war to disarm Iraq would be short on legitimacy and violate the world body's charter.
Annan pleaded for unity ahead of a Security Council vote due this week on a new draft resolution authorizing war against Iraq. The United Nations had to exhaust every avenue to achieve disarmament by peaceful means before resorting to war, he said.
"The members of the Security Council are now faced with a grave choice," Annan told a news conference. "If they fail to agree on a common position and action is taken without the authority of the Security Council, the legitimacy and support for any such action would be seriously impaired."
"If, on the other hand, they can come together, even at this late hour, to address this threat in a united manner and ensure compliance with the previous resolutions, then the Council's authority will be enhanced and the world will be a safer place."
"If the U.S and others were to go outside the Council and take military action it would not be (in) conformity with the (U.N.) charter," said Annan.
"The United Nations -- founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war -- has a duty to search 'til the very end for the peaceful resolution of conflicts," Annan stated. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
