Brussels, 17 February 2003 (RFE/RL) -- French President Jacques Chirac said today ahead of an EU summit on Iraq that his government would oppose a second UN resolution on disarming Baghdad. Chirac said on his arrival in Brussels for the summit that the international community was pursuing the aim of disarmament of Iraq through weapons inspections.
The United States and Britain are pushing for a second UN resolution declaring Iraq in further breach of its disarmament obligations or authorizing military action. The current resolution, 1441, calls for inspecting Iraq and disarming it of weapons of mass destruction, but stops short of giving a mandate for a military strike.
Greece, which holds the rotating EU presidency, called the summit last week after differences emerged between EU countries who support the U.S. hard-line approach and others who favor further diplomacy to resolve the crisis.
The United States and Britain are pushing for a second UN resolution declaring Iraq in further breach of its disarmament obligations or authorizing military action. The current resolution, 1441, calls for inspecting Iraq and disarming it of weapons of mass destruction, but stops short of giving a mandate for a military strike.
Greece, which holds the rotating EU presidency, called the summit last week after differences emerged between EU countries who support the U.S. hard-line approach and others who favor further diplomacy to resolve the crisis.