French President Jacques Chirac repeated Sunday France's stance that U.N. inspectors should be given more time and resources to ensure the peaceful disarmament of Iraq, but that the use of force was an option if that failed.
"We have to give the inspectors time," he told Time magazine. "And probably -- and this is France's view -- we have to reinforce their capacities, especially those of aerial surveillance. For the moment, nothing allows us to say inspections don't work," he said, adding that it was "probable" Iraq did have some non-nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
Asked what evidence could justify war on Iraq, Chirac said: "It's up to the inspectors to decide. We gave them our confidence...If we have to give them greater means, we'll do so.
"It's up to them to come before the Security Council and say, 'We won. It's over. There are no more weapons of mass destruction' or 'It's impossible for us to fulfil our mission. We're coming up against Iraqi ill-will and impediments'.
"At that point, the Security Council would have to discuss this report and decide what to do. In that case, France would naturally exclude no option."
"France is not a pacifist country," Chirac said. "We currently have more troops in the Balkans than the Americans." He also hit back hard at accusations in the U.S. media that Paris is acting out of resentment at American power.
"France is obviously not anti-American. It's a true friend of the United States and always has been," he added.
"I know the U.S. perhaps better than most French people, and I really like the United States. I've made many excellent friends there, I feel good there. I love junk food and I always come home with a few extra pounds. I've always worked and supported transatlantic solidarity. When I hear people say that I'm anti-American, I'm sad -- not angry but really sad."
"If Saddam Hussein would only vanish, it would without a doubt be the biggest favor he could do for his people and for the world. But we think this goal can be reached without starting a war," Chirac said.
"A war of this kind cannot help giving a big lift to terrorism. It would create a large number of little bin Ladens," he added. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
