Chirac, Bush discuss Iraq for first time in two months

PARIS (AFP) Apr 15, 2003
French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday spoke to his US counterpart George W. Bush by telephone about the war in Iraq for the first time since February 7, Chirac's office announced.

The conversation, which came at Chirac's initiative, lasted for 20 minutes, with Chirac's spokesman Catherine Colonna saying it had been "positive".

The French president told Bush of "France's willingness to act in a pragmatic way" on issues relating to the post-war reconstruction of Iraq, Colonna added.

In the build-up to the US-led war in Iraq, Chirac steadfastly opposed the use of military force against Baghdad, sparking the ire of US officials and a wave of anti-French sentiment in the United States.

SPACE.WIRE