UN approval needed for NATO role in Iraq: Chirac

BRUSSELS (AFP) Apr 29, 2003
France is willing to discuss ways in which NATO could play a role in the Iraqi crisis, but this would require a UN Security Council resolution, President Jacques Chirac said on Tuesday at the end of a summit in Brussels.

Chirac said he had told US President George W. Bush of France's position during a recent telephone call, which he said had been initiated by Bush.

"I naturally indicated first of all that there would have to be a UN resolution to ask NATO to intervene," Chirac said, referring to his discussion with Bush.

He said he had told the US leader that if such a resolution was passed, "France was absolutely prepared to discuss arrangements for an intervention."

Chirac, who has been out of favour with the US administration over his opposition to the invasion of Iraq, was speaking after a "mini-summit" with the leaders of Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg on European Union defence arrangements.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell had raised the possibility of NATO intervening in Iraq on April 3, during a visit to the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

SPACE.WIRE