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French President Jacque Chirac said in Brussels on Monday that a war on Iraq would be the worst solution and his government would oppose a second UN Security Council resolution on disarming Baghdad.
Chirac made the remarks when speaking to reporters ahead of a summit of the European Union on Iraq.
"That is our position which leads us to conclude that it is not necessary today to have a second resolution, which France could only oppose," Chirac said.
The EU leaders, split on Iraq, are meeting to try to find one voice on the issue.
France's position shows a stark contrast with the hawkish attitude of Britain, which is planning to propose a second resolution to the UN Security Council to support the use of force to disarm Iraq.
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was hoping the summit would result in "a strong EU united in its determination to put pressure on Saddam to disarm."
"We hope the European Union will come solidly behind the statement they have already issued at the end of January" when foreign ministers unanimously endorsed UN Security Council Resolution 1441, a spokesman for Blair told reporters.
"The prime minister will set out his position (at Brussels) as he has done on many occasions," the spokesman said. "No one's going to looking for any conflict."
France Refuses to Support Second UN Iraq Resolution
French President Jacques Chirac said in Brussels on Monday that his country would oppose any effort to launch a second UN resolution to authorize war against Iraq at the moment.
"There is no need for a second resolution today, which France would have no choice but to oppose," Chirac said as he arrived for a special European Union (EU) summit.
Chirac's remarks reflected Franco-German stance to prevent a possible US-led war against Iraq, strongly resisting pressure from the United States and its European ally Britain, who say time is running out for diplomacy.
France and Germany, backed by Russia, proposed expanding UN weapons inspections in a joint statement last week.
In Washington, US President George W. Bush's national security adviser Condoleeza Rice said Sunday the White House might push a new UN resolution to force a showdown with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Rice said the United States may ask the United Nations to take up a new resolution authorizing military action against Iraq, although she said action already was sanctioned by a previous resolution.
The US administration was rebuffed Friday at the UN Security Council, where most members lined up behind France's call for more weapons inspections and against military action.
(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2003)
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