France Against Unilateral U.S. Action Against Iraq: Nicoulaud
In a meeting with Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Hojjatoleslam Hassan Rowhani, Nicoulaud said that any action should take place within the framework of international law.
He said that the international community should reach unanimity and announce that it will use force if Iraq fails to comply with United Nations resolution, IRNA reported.
"The best way to resolve the Iraqi crisis is that the international community reach a consensus. Any action against Iraq should be approved by the Security Council. France favors adopting a Security Council resolution unanimously not by a shaky majority," he said.
France believes that the UN resolution should envisage two stages complementing each other, he said adding that in the first stage should focus on disarmament and the second stage should envisage use of force in case of Iraqi failure to comply with the resolution.
He said that the Security Council resolution should take measures for inspection and guarantee that the inspection proceeds without any gap so that it would be up to the Security Council to make decision on the next step.
Nicoulaud said that the draft resolution put forward by the United States has not taken into account France's views. The draft resolution looks like a blank check to which France has objection.
France insists on observance of the international law and will fulfill its obligations within the framework of the United Nations and the international law, he said, adding, France will take part in the collective action if a resolution is approved to that effect.
"It's clear that war will not occur if Saddam respects the Security Council resolutions," the French ambassador said.
He said that it is important to foresee the next Iraqi regime. The main question is that whether or not the Iraqi people have the requirements for setting up an alternative regime for that country, he said.
He said that the campaign against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is vital for the region and the entire world adding that the international community should exercise resolve and insight in this respect.
Rowhani, for his part, said that the international community should not allow the unilateral U.S. plan to succeed. The United States have understood the point that the world would not tolerate unilateral action, he said.
"Though the United States proceeds with its own tone, but, the pressure of the international community will not allow the U.S. to take action by disregarding international law," Rowhani said.
He said that the majority of the countries are unanimous on common stance shared by Iran and France on Iraq crisis.
He said that any action should take place within the framework of the international regulations, otherwise, violation of the international law will not end in Iraq and the United States will go ahead with the wrong procedure to enforce dominance over all the strategic and sensitive points of the world.
"If the United States is given a free hand for unilateral action, it will not limit itself to the Middle East rather it will also embark on aggression in the other parts of the world. The international community should stop the U.S. hegemonic nature," Rowhani said.
He said that use of force should be the last choice and cannot be considered in the primary stage. "All of U.S. should do our best to reach international goals through peaceful means," he said.
Rowhani said that Iraq's bad record cannot be regarded as a pretext for not giving a chance to that country. "We should not allow the flames of war to be ignited in the sensitive region," he declared.
He said that the Iraqi situation is very different from that of Afghanistan, adding that the U.S. perception of Iraq does not match with the reality.
The Iraqi regime has proved in the past that it doesn't hesitate to take every possible action to defend itself so that the forces on the offensive will be exposed to very dangerous threats.