CAIRO, 13 April 2003 — France called on the United States and Britain yesterday to ensure security for the Iraqi people after scenes of looting and lawlessness following the fall of President Saddam Hussein. “It is important that everything be done for the security of the population. Coalition forces present on the ground have a particular responsibility,” French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin told a news conference after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Villepin, who is starting a Middle East tour in Egypt, said there was bound to be a period of stabilization during which US and British forces would play the main role, but it was important that this phase be as short as possible to allow an Iraqi government to be established. Only the United Nations could give that new government the legitimacy it required to begin rebuilding the country, he said.
In the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Friday, the leaders of France, Germany and Russia — strong opponents of the US-led war — reaffirmed their belief that the United Nations must play the key role in rebuilding Iraq. US Secretary of State Colin Powell has poured scorn on appeals to allow the United Nations to take a leading role.
Villepin avoided criticizing US and British actions, saying that while France had believed there had been an alternative to war, “with the fall of Saddam Hussein, a new page is turned”.
“The Iraqi challenge will remain a test for the international community for many years to come,” he said. At the same news conference, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher rebuffed a question about why they had not called for an immediate withdrawal of US and British forces from Iraq. “It is not necessary to talk of a withdrawal of foreign troops... Even the Americans and British have indicated their presence was temporary,” he said.
Many Arabs are worried the US-British military presence in Iraq could be lengthy and herald a new era of colonialism. Maher also stressed the importance of publishing and implementing the road map “to avoid deterioration due to Israeli actions which are condemned by Egypt and France”.
