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Us france rift escalates { May 16 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030516/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_france_13http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030516/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_france_13
Yahoo! News Fri, May 16, 2003
White House - AP Cabinet & State
Rift Between U.S., France Escalates
Fri May 16, 2:40 AM ET Add White House - AP Cabinet & State to My Yahoo!
By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - New cracks are showing in the damaged French-American relationship with the disclosure that the Pentagon (news - web sites) will snub the upcoming Paris Air Show and France's allegation that the Bush administration is planting false stories about it with U.S. media.
Senior State Department official Richard N. Haass said the two countries will soon have good opportunities at upcoming meetings to resolve their differences.
And French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte said in a letter that the nations must continue to work together.
But Thursday's developments made it clear that it won't be easy to overcome the rancor between the historical allies over France's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq (news - web sites).
In a move critics said was aimed at punishing France, the Defense Department is cutting the number of people and aircraft it's sending to the Paris Air Show, a premier international event for the aerospace industry beginning June 15. An industry official criticized the Pentagon move as bad for business.
And Levitte sent a letter to administration officials and lawmakers complaining that "some members of the American media have issued false accusations against France" and "they all rely on information from 'anonymous administration officials'."
Among the stories cited were alleged French weapons sales to Iraq and a report last week that French officials provided passports to Iraqis trying to escape the U.S.-led invasion. Levitte called these "denigration and lies."
White House spokesman Sean McCormack denied the accusation. "There is no such organized effort," he said.
But Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said he couldn't say whether miltary-to-military relations between the two had changed.
"There's so many linkages and connections between the United States and NATO (news - web sites) allies that I wouldn't want to say yes or no," he told a Pentagon news conference.
Regarding the Paris Air Show, Rumsfeld said: "It's not as though people won't be going from the United States. It may be at a certain level."
A limit of 150 lower-ranking officials will be allowed to go — no one above the rank of colonel, a defense official said later on condition of anonymity.
Only six planes will be sent, compared with 13 sent last time. All will be for stationary exhibits rather that the usual flying demonstrations, the official said.
Critics said staying away out of spite only hurts the United States.
"I understand there are those in the Pentagon who are annoyed with the French, to put it mildly," said Joel Johnson, a vice president at the Aerospace Industries Association of America. "But a quasi-boycott of the Paris Air Show will undercut the U.S. industry and discourage current and future customers."
Meanwhile Thursday, Levitte sent a letter to members of Congress, administration officials and media, including with it a list of what he said were eight false stories run by American print and broadcast media since last fall.
"In this dangerous world, we must continue to work side by side against the scourge of terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and for the promotion of peace and our common values," the Levitte wrote.
"We should not let bitterness between two staunch allies distract us," he added.
Haass, the State Department's director of policy planning, said debates next week in the U.N. Security Council on postwar Iraq, as well as coming summits of leading industrial nations, would present chances for reconciliation.
The reconstruction of Iraq will top the agenda when Treasury Secretary John Snow meets in Deauville, France, this weekend for meetings of his counterparts from the world's seven richest industrial countries and Russia.
The United States is hoping to use those talks on Friday and Saturday to resolve differences with France, Germany and Russia — three countries who opposed the war with Iraq — over how reconstruction will proceed.
France, Germany and Russia are owed a large portion of huge debts run up during Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s rule. They have rejected U.S. proposals for debt forgiveness but have said they would be open to relief in the form of delayed and stretched out payments.
However, Haass acknowledged that the rift over Iraq had caused serious damage to U.S.-French relations and said the healing process would take time.
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On the Net:
Letter from French ambassador:
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/news/statmnts/2003/levitte_us051503
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