France's Chirac promises veto in U.N. Iraq vote

Reuters AlertNet ^ | March 10, 2003 | Reuters

[MadIvan]

PARIS, March 10 (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac said on Monday France would use its U.N. Security Council veto to block a resolution authorising war against Iraq.

"Whatever happens, France will vote 'no'," Chirac said on France 2 and TF1 television in his first televised interview on the Iraq crisis.

"There could, effectively, be a majority of nine votes or more for a new resolution, one which would authorise war.

"If that was the case, then France would vote 'no'. France will vote 'no' because she considers tonight that there is no reason to wage a war to reach the goal we set ourselves, that is the disarmament of Iraq," he said in the joint interview.

The French leader, who has led opposition to U.S. demands for Iraq to be disarmed of its suspected weapons of mass destruction by force, said he believed Russia and China -- fellow veto-holding permanent members of the Council -- were also ready to use their vetoes.

Earlier Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Moscow would vote against a new draft U.N. resolution by the United States, Britain and Spain giving Iraq until March 17 to disarm or face war.

However, the French president said Iraq was not cooperating sufficiently with U.N. arms inspectors looking for alleged weapons of mass destruction.

"It's not for you or me to say whether the inspections are effective, if Iraq is sufficiently cooperative -- it is not, by the way, I'll tell you that straight away", Chirac said.

He also said no decision had been taken on a French call for heads of state and government to travel to New York for a U.N. vote on the new resolution. A vote on the draft resolution is expected this week.

France last week proposed that leaders of all five permanent member countries in the Security Council attend the voting session, saying it was important that decisions concerning life and death be taken at the highest level.

[MadIvan]

This was just broadcast on Sky News. What a treacherous piece of slime Chirac is.

Have you seen this man?

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[goldylight]

Is no the same thing as a VETO?

[Wphile]

"It's not for you or me to say whether the inspections are effective, if Iraq is sufficiently cooperative -- it is not, by the way, I'll tell you that straight away", Chirac said.

This man is certifiable. What in the h*ll does this mean? It's not for me to say if inspections are effective or if Iraq is cooperative. But I'll tell ya, it's not cooperative. But, it's still not cause for war. Yada, yada, yada...

What a frickin' idiot.

[SJackson]

[Grampa Dave]

[PhiKapMom]

A NO vote is the same as a Veto from any of the Permanent Council Members. We found the UN Charter that said all Permanent Council Members have to approve a resolution of this type. A No vote by a Permanent Voting Member is the same as a veto.

[sofaman]

"It's not for you or me to say whether the inspections are effective, if Iraq is sufficiently cooperative -- it is not, by the way, I'll tell you that straight away"

Yes, I'm sure he would tell us right away. And I have a bridge named Pont Neuf that I can let you have cheap. It only costs 25% of your oil fields.

This guy should be an embarassment to France but, I fear, he is not. And that, dear friends, is the saddest fact of all.

[DeuceTraveler]

Do it! I double dog dare you.

[polemikos]

France is working hard to prevent the US from reaching the 9 votes necessary for the US/UK resolution to pass so that they will not have to use their veto. Otherwise it would not be necessary to send Dom deV on a whirlwind tour of African nations with a suitcase full of money.

That suggests that France won't use a veto if the US gets 9 votes.

[Centurion2000]

BUMP

[Grampa Dave]

Soddomite rewards his faithful lover ChIraq for his devotion to Soddomite!

[Oldeconomybuyer]

"It's not for you or me to say whether the inspections are effective, if Iraq is sufficiently cooperative -- it is not, by the way, I'll tell you that straight away", Chirac said...

That's a jaw-dropper. France is a permanent member of the [blanking] UN Security Council and, by definition, it is their [blanking] job to say if inspections are effective and hold Iraq accountable for not cooperating.

[daler]

Okay.

So, what are we waiting for?

[jimbo123]

Freep THE WORM here...

[dead]

[Ebenezer]

To paraphrase Ebenezer Scrooge: "France! Bah! Humbug!" That country has not had a decent army since the time of Napoleon!

[AgThorn]

[TexKat]

Done deal.