GERMANY: FRANCE INSISTS THE UNITED STATES MUST HAND POWER TO AN IRAQI GOVERNMENT IN MONTHS NOT YEARS

Record ID: 338281

  • Title: GERMANY: FRANCE INSISTS THE UNITED STATES MUST HAND POWER TO AN IRAQI GOVERNMENT IN MONTHS NOT YEARS
  • Date: 18th September 2003
  • Summary: (W6) BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 18, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LV EXTERIOR OF BUILDING WHERE PRESS CONFERENCE IS TAKING PLACE 0.04 2. VARIOUS OF FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC AND GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 0.18 3. CLOSE OF CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER AND FRENCH PRIME MINISTER JEAN-PIERRE RAFFARIN AT PODIUM 0.24 4. WIDE OF PRESS 0.29 5. WIDE OF CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER AT PODIUM 0.33 6. SOUNDBITE (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC SAYING: "We are naturally worried about the situation in Iraq. We have the same analysis of the situation. We think that an approach based only on security will not be able to restore security and stability in Iraq. We should as rapidly as possible move towards a more political solution, that is the rapid transfer, under the control of the United Stations, of governmental responsibilities to Iraq's current governmental body. Rapidly as possible of course means months and not years." 1.27 7. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 1.30 8. SOUNDBITE (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC SAYING: "The Chancellor (Gerhard Schroeder) has effectively evoked the possibility of a positive contribution to the security problems in Iraq through the formation of certain number of guards or representatives, be these police forces or military forces. It goes without saying that if the Chancellor confirms this position, France will take the same (position) for the same reasons." 2.06 9. WIDE OF DELEGATION AND PRESS 2.10 10. WIDE OF PODIUM WITH SCHROEDER AND CHIRAC 2.15 11. CLOSE UP OF SCHROEDER SPEAKING 2.22 12. WIDE OF PODIUM 2.27 13. CLOSE UP OF CHIRAC LISTENING 2.34 14. WIDE OF PRESS; PAN ACROSS TO PODIUM 2.46 15. SOUNDBITE (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER TALKING ABOUT EUROPEAN BUDGETARY RULES SAYING: "It is no question that we are now in a phase, I have spoken of the third year of stagnation in Germany, which also has a negative effect on others. That is exactly the reason why we have to make sure that with our national structural measures, in other words the Agenda 2010 and tax policies, that Germany can play its role, namely stressing growth, therefore creating impulses in our own country and creating impulses in other countries." 3.22 16. CLOSE UP OF SCHROEDER SPEAKING 3.29 17. WIDE OF SCHROEDER AND CHIRAC; CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER WALK OUT OF SHOT 3.44 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 3rd October 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA6P6S88MFYW2VAMJWAT1YNJRIU
  • Story Text: France wants transfer of power to Iraqis in months
    says the French President Jacques Chirac.


    France and Germany both offered to help train Iraqi
    soldiers and police on Thursday (September 18) but France
    insisted the United States hand power to an Iraqi
    government in months, not years.

    Speaking after talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
    in Berlin, French President Jacques Chirac said France and
    Germany shared the same position on Iraq ahead of
    trilateral talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in
    Berlin on Saturday.

    "We are naturally worried about the situation in Iraq.

    We have the same analysis of the situation. We think that
    an approach based only on security will not be able to
    restore security and stability in Iraq. We should as
    rapidly as possible move towards a more political solution,
    that is the rapid transfer, under the control of the United
    Stations, of governmental responsibilities to Iraq's
    current governmental body," said Chirac. "Rapidly as
    possible of course means months and not years."
    During their meeting in Berlin, Schroeder raised the
    possibility of offering such training to help stabilise
    Iraq.

    "If the Chancellor confirms this position, France will
    take the same (position) for the same reasons," Chirac said.

    Chirac and Schroeder have said U.S. plans to invite
    outside countries to contribute troops to its military
    effort failed to hand enough power to the United Nations
    and the Iraqis.

    Hardly a day goes by in Iraq without news of U.S.

    soldiers being killed or injured in attacks by Iraqi
    gunmen. Some 73 U.S. soldiers have been killed this way
    since Washington declared major combat over in Iraq on
    May 1.

    A French official on Thursday said that France and
    Germany see a real danger of a worsening security situation
    in Iraq, which the European Union says could hamper the
    disbursement of funds to be pledged next month.

    Washington is working on a new Iraq resolution to
    present to the U.N. Security Council and hopes to present
    it before President George W. Bush addresses the General
    Assembly next Tuesday.

    Schroeder, Chirac and Blair meet in Berlin on Saturday
    in a bid to heal splits in Europe over the Iraq war and
    agree policies that analysts say could pressure Washington
    to compromise over Iraq's future.

    Schroeder declined to say what measures the three
    leaders were likely to discuss on Saturday.

    "We hope you will understand that we would first like
    to tell our colleagues what we want to discuss with them
    before we tell the public," he said.


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