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STATEMENT BY THE SPOKESPERSON
FRENCH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
January 17, 2003
Do you plan to send an envoy to Iraq or are you relying on the meetings with Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei to stop the war?
We support Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei. We also have regular contacts with the Iraqi authorities. We have an interests section in Baghdad and when we wish to speak to the Iraqi authorities, we have the necessary channels to do so.
Since the foreign minister's visit to Algiers, there've been increasingly detailed reports about negotiations going on in Moscow and in the Arab countries. This morning there was a report about Libya and Egypt negotiating Saddam Hussein's departure and that of his circle and close aides from Iraq, with guarantees. Apparently there really has been something since the Americans did not agree on the guarantees Saddam Hussein should be given to get him to go. Has France been approached by the Iraqis or other countries? Are we involved in the discussion or in these contacts? Could we have some details?
I have no knowledge of any French involvement of any kind in these discussions but naturally we are following, via our embassies, the rumors cropping up in this country and that, about such discussions.
On the substance of the matter, as I've already said, our problem is Iraq's disarmament.
What is the official French reaction to the discovery of the empty warheads?
That it's essential the inspectors do their job and present their conclusions to us.
So it's not a violation per se?
It's up to the inspectors to enlighten us on all the circumstances surrounding this matter.
Mr. Blix was in Paris. Did he enlighten you?
He is in fact in Paris and he was informed of this development while he was in the capital. As he said himself, UNMOVIC has to evaluate this development. He will inform us of his conclusions.