France, Germany and Russia to meet for talks on Iraq

PARIS (AFP) Apr 04, 2003
The foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia, the three leading countries opposing the the US-led war on Iraq and insist that the United Nations must direct the post-war reconstruction of the country, are to meet on Friday in Paris.

France's Dominique de Villepin, Germany's Joschka Fischer and Russia's Igor Ivanov are to hold a working lunch the day after US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Brussels for both bilateral and multilateral talks which included the three Europeans.

Powell said that although UN would play a part in post-war Iraq, the US-led coalition would take the lead in any reconstruction efforts. European leaders, including France, Germany and Russia, insist the UN play a central role.

The US secretary of state met with foreign ministers of the European Union and Russia, as well as NATO officials.

SPACE.WIRE