BELGIUM: EUROPEAN LEADERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE EU SUMMMIT SPEAK ON WAR ON IRAQ
Record ID:
647703
BELGIUM: EUROPEAN LEADERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE EU SUMMMIT SPEAK ON WAR ON IRAQ
- Title: BELGIUM: EUROPEAN LEADERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE EU SUMMMIT SPEAK ON WAR ON IRAQ
- Date: 21st March 2003
- Summary: (U4) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MARCH 21, 2003) (REUTERS) SV ARRIVAL OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) PAN OF CONFERENCE ROOM MCU (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER SAYING: "The idea of a European Security and Defence Policy (French, Belgian, German initiative) is not to exclude anyone. Of course, it is open for everyone that is willing to cooperate, and whoever wants to join us throughout the debate. Just so it is understood. This is a strengthening of NATO through what one calls a European pillar. It is therefore not an initiative against the NATO, but rather one which is supposed to strengthen it." LAS JOURNALISTS MCU (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER SAYING: "I just want to point out that every attempt to make France responsible for whatever in any way is destined to doom. History will prove that this is wrong." MCU JOURNALISTS MCU (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER SAYING: "For me the meeting was almost too normal. To be honest, I find it very difficult to fight about milk quotas in this situation." SLV ARRIVAL OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR FOR NEWS CONFERENCE SLV PULL IN SV BLAIR ARRIVING INSIDE CONFERENCE ROOM CU JOURNALIST WRITING MCU (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYING: "I would like to begin by expressing my personal condolences and those of my government to the servicemen who were killed in the helicopter crash overnight. They were part of our efforts to take the Al-Faw peninsula in the south of Iraq when this tragedy occurred. It underlines the dangers facing our forces as they carry out the mission to bring out Saddam's regime and disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction." PAN JOURNALISTS MCU (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYING: "There are signs of continuing Iraqi desertions and disagreement and division at all levels of the regime. But I should warn that our forces will face resistance and that the campaign, necessarily, will not achieve all its objectives overnight. The course of action we are taking is the right one and we must see this mission through to the end." CU PULL OUT SV OF BANNER ON PROTESTER READING: FOR A SOCIAL EUROPE TV/SV/LV OF PROTESTERS MARCHING (4 SHOTS) SV PROTESTER CARRYING TORCH LAS MARCHING FROM BEHIND
- Embargoed: 5th April 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA50WZJ3LLU20S3LLLA4JJ8B9SU
- Story Text: At a news conference at the summit of European leaders in Brussels, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has defended the French position on the war on Iraq.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, also attending the summit, said there were signs of continuing Iraqi desertions and of division at all levels of President Saddam Hussein's regime.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday (March 21) said it was wrong to make France responsible for the decision by the United States and Britain to abandon diplomacy and launch war on Iraq. Schroeder also elaborated on a French, Belgian and German defence initiative, the European Security and Defence Policy.
"This is a strengthening of NATO through what one calls a European pillar. It is therefore not an initiative against the NATO, but rather one which is supposed to strengthen it", Schroeder said.
Speaking at his news conference in Brussels on Friday (March 21), British Prime Minister Tony Blair said there were signs of continuing Iraqi desertions and division at all levels of President Saddam Hussein's regime.
"But I should warn that our forces will face resistance and that the campaign, necessarily, will not achieve all its objectives overnight", he added.
"The course of action we are taking is the right one and we must see this mission through to the end."
On disagreements within the European Union (EU) over the decision to invade Iraq, Blair insisted there was support within the bloc for his government's hawkish stance.
Blair, who is risking his political future by following the United States into war, said he was no less enthusiastic about the future of Europe, despite the rift over Iraq.
Union members took to the streets of Brussels on the side of the meeting. According to police, about 12,000 union members from France and Belgium protested, saying they were in favour of a social and democratic Europe and for peace and social justice in the world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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