GERMANY: EUROPE'S THREE BIGGEST POWERS TRY TO MEND THEIR RIFT OVER IRAQ AT BERLIN SUMMIT
Record ID:
647361
GERMANY: EUROPE'S THREE BIGGEST POWERS TRY TO MEND THEIR RIFT OVER IRAQ AT BERLIN SUMMIT
- Title: GERMANY: EUROPE'S THREE BIGGEST POWERS TRY TO MEND THEIR RIFT OVER IRAQ AT BERLIN SUMMIT
- Date: 20th September 2003
- Summary: (W5) BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 20, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LV OF GERMAN CHANCELLERY 0.03 2. LV OF ARRIVAL OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER, FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR 0.10 3. SV OF ARRIVAL OF SCHROEDER, CHIRAC AND BLAIR 0.16 4. SV OF JOURNALISTS 0.20 5. SLV SCHROEDER, CHIRAC AND BLAIR WALK ONTO THE PODIUM 0.28 6. SV OF JOURNALISTS 0.32 7. SLV OF PODIUM 0.37 8. MCU (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYING: "Whatever the differences there have been about the conflict, we all want to see a stable Iraq, we all want to see Iraq make a transistion to democratic government as swiftly as possible. We all want to see and know there must be a key role for the United Nations. Now as I say, the detail of that obviously we leave to our people who are negotiating the resolution in New York, but I think whatever the different positions on the conflict, the entire world has an interest in seeing those things happen. And for myself I am sure that whatever the differences that there are, they can be resolved and I am sure they will be." 1.17 9. CLOSE UP OF BLAIR SPEAKING 1.27 10. CU JOURNALISTS WITH LAPTOP COMPUTERS 1.31 11. MCU (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION IN IRAQ SAYING: "Our views are not quite convergent. France's position is that we have to change the course of action today. There needs to be a rapid transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi authorities by way of giving them the capability of taking their own responsibility, while naturally providing them with the necessary technical and financial aid. This transfer of sovereignty must take place as quickly as possible, that is to say within months. On the basis we don't have a difference of opinions, on the technicalities and timetable, we are still not fully agreed." 2.26 12. SV JOURNALISTS 2.30 13. SLV PULL IN MCU (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYING: "Well I think first of all, it's plain that the United Nations has indeed been active in Iraq, and that is one of the reasons for the tragic death of the U.N. Special Representative there. The whole purpose of the discussion before the United Nations now is that the United Nations can play its full part and that is precisly the reason why it is in everyone's interests that we reach agreement, as I believe that we will do. Whatever the nuances or the differences between us we recognise that this job of reconstruction, that as I say everyone wants to see happen, isn't going to happen unless the United Nations plays a key role." 3.17 14. LV NEWS CONFERENCE 3.20 15. SV PULL OUT SLV BLAIR, CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER LEAVING THE PODIUM 3.40 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th October 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA1E69L8CM9HHY9NDKTXXJZ9NPN
- Story Text: Europe's three biggest powers have tried
to mend their rift over Iraq, but French President Jacques
Chirac said differences with Britain remained.
"Our views are not quite convergent," Chirac told a
news conference after a Berlin summit with German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and British Prime Minister
Tony Blair on Saturday (September 20).
Chirac and Schroeder, fierce opponents of the U.S.-led
war that toppled Saddam Hussein, now want a much more
influential role for the United Nations and a faster
transition to democracy in Iraq.
"On the technicalities and timetable, we are still not
fully agreed," Chirac added.
He restated France's position that Iraq, now under U.S.
administration, must regain sovereignty within months. U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has ridiculed the notion
that Washington could hand back power overnight.
Chirac was far less upbeat than Blair, who stressed the
common ground between the three leaders.
"We all want to see a stable Iraq, we all want to see
Iraq make a transistion to democratic government as swiftly
as possible. We all want to see and know there must be a
key role for the United Nations. Now as I say, the detail
of that obviously we leave to our people who are
negotiating the resolution in New York, but I think
whatever the different positions on the conflict, the
entire world has an interest in seeing those things happen.
And for myself I am sure that whatever the differences that
there are, they can be resolved and I am sure they will
be," Blair said.
The brief summit offered an opportunity for all sides
to mend relations that were badly damaged by Blair's
unswerving support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in
March.
But the political differences were reflected in the
body language: Schroeders polite welcoming handshake with
Blair was conspicuously cooler than his jovial backslapping
with Chirac.
The United States is now seeking a new U.N. Security
Council resolution to help share out the huge financial and
security burden of rebuilding post-war Iraq.
It badly needs such help as its 130,000 troops in Iraq
suffer almost daily casualties from guerrilla attacks.
President George W. Bush last week sent Congress an $87
billion plan to fund military operations and reconstruction
efforts.
A fresh U.N. mandate could not only help to mend the
rift between Washington, Berlin and Paris, but could also
pave the way for countries such as India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Turkey to contribute troops.
Chirac and Schroeder are both due to meet President
George W. Bush next week at the United Nations in New York,
and the question of Iraq is set to dominate those meetings.
Bush and Blair sent their troops to invade Iraq in
March, accusing Saddam of developing weapons of mass
destruction.
France and Germany opposed the war, arguing U.N.
inspectors should have been allowed more time to scour Iraq
for evidence of the alleged weapons programmes.
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