Iraq split can be resolved, Blair insists
The international split over Iraq can be resolved, British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted tonight – despite a renewed public appeal from French president Jacques Chirac for the United Nations to play a major new role in rebuilding the country.
Mr Chirac also repeated his position that sovereignty should be stripped away from the American-led coalition authority and handed to the Iraqis as swiftly as possible.
No attempt was made to disguise the differences after more than two hours of three-way summit talks in Berlin hosted by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
The three leaders insisted good progress had been made on European issues and that the United Nations, not today’s meeting, was the right forum to thrash out the row over Iraq.
Mr Blair, standing side by side at a news conference with his two fellow leaders, told reporters: “I think whatever the different positions on the conflict, the entire world has an interest in seeing these things happen. Whatever the differences that there are, they can be resolved and I’m sure they will be.”
But Mr Chirac, speaking directly afterwards, said: “There’s not much point saying we slightly disagree on this topic – but France feels we have to take a turn in the way things are done.
“We should now embark on a process which would have as an outcome the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis themselves.
“Of course that implies technical and other support from outside. This transfer of sovereignty should be done as quickly as possible from our point of view.”
Washington and London had conceded even before today’s talks that there was little prospect of agreement on a UN resolution redefining the organisation’s role in Iraq before President George Bush addresses its general assembly in New York next week.
But there must have been some hope Mr Blair could make some headway with Mr Chirac.
But several times during today’s news conference, Mr Chirac made plain he was sticking by his tough line.
America wants a greater role for the UN and a multinational peacekeeping force while it still retains overall control.
Mr Chirac told reporters: “To speak the truth, I think I do believe that the UN as a representative of the international community should play a far more significant and more operational role than it already is playing, to help Iraq embark on the path to democracy.
“We hope there can be an immediate transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis – I mean the current Iraqi institutions, and then of course a devolution of responsibilities that would happen as swiftly as possible but that should be done with the oversight of the UN. That is the French approach.
“Of course we know there is a debate, there is a negotiation in the UN, and the appropriate framework for the UN is the security council, so let us give it time to discuss these issues fully.”
Mr Blair and Mr Bush are both keen to avoid the international diplomatic stand-off which preceded the conflict in Iraq, with France leading opposition to their stance and threatening to wield its UN veto.
Mr Schroeder, who chaired the talks on Iraq over lunch in his Chancellery building, added: “There are issues that still need to be discussed and this is something that certainly will be done in the security council in New York.
“But what we have (to do) is to give a more prominent role to the UN and to see to it that, as quickly as possible, one does achieve a transition to Iraqi authority.”
Mr Chirac added: “We still do not agree fully on Iraq but we still, all three of us, agree it should be dealt with in the UN security council, although our opinions might be slightly different.”
Mr Blair stressed: “The UN resolution will be debated in New York and there are discussions going on there, but whatever have been the disagreements I think it’s important to recognise that we all want to see a stable and democratic Iraq, that transfer to democracy happens as swiftly as possible and the very fact there is this discussion in the UN underlines the agreement on the key role the UN should have.”
