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Moscow paris berlin seek delay { February 10 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1042491688008&p=1012571727085 http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1042491688008&p=1012571727085 Moscow, Paris and Berlin seek to delay war By Robert Graham in Paris Published: February 10 2003 19:05 | Last Updated: February 10 2003 19:05 French President Jacques Chirac (pictured) on Monday used the first official visit to France by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to announce a common Franco-Russian-German front to counter pressure from the US for an early decision on military action against Iraq. The move highlighted growing divisions at the United Nations over how to tackle the question of removing Iraq's weapon's of mass destruction. President Chirac, encouraged by the reluctance of a number of UN security council members to admit the weapons inspections are failing, appears determined to lead a block to challenge the US view that war is inevitable. "There is still an alternative to war. The use of force can only be as a last resort," he said, citing the common Franco-German-Russian declaration. The three countries' leaders also called for "a substantial reinforcement" of the UN weapons inspection process currently being conducted in Iraq. The declaration follows talks in Berlin over the weekend between Mr Putin and German chancellor Gerhard Schršder. French officials said it was consistent with the Belgian, French and German refusal on Monday to accept to provide Nato guarantees to Turkey in the event of a war with Iraq. They said the granting of such guarantees pre-supposed that the weapons inspections had failed. Beefed up weapons inspections were first suggested on February 5 by French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin at the UN in reply to a presentation of "evidence" against Iraq by US Secretary Colin Powell. Mr Powell had demonstrated at length how US intelligence believed the Iraqi regime was in breach of its UN obligations and was seeking to conceal weapons of mass destruction. Mr de Villepin proposed that the number of inspectors be raised by as much as three times the current contingent. He further suggested some be based outside Baghdad in regional centres and that there be a special co-ordinator appointed. France also offered to supply Mirage IV fighters, based in Saudi Arabia, for aerial photo-reconnaissance. These could be used as an alternative to - or as a compliment to - the American US-2 "spy planes". President Chirac had sounded out Mr Schršder on these proposals last week and again over the weekend. But it was only when Mr Putin endorsed them that they became formalised on Monday. Until then the French saw Mr Putin unwilling to upset the Americans, while also keeping a foot in the camp of those like France who saw war as a last resort. These proposals suggest the three leaders are confident the report on February 14 by Hans Blix, the UN chief weapons inspector, will provide sufficient argument for the inspections to continue. The move also underlines the determination of President Chirac to delay any decision on military action as long as possible. Implicit in Monday's declaration was the threat that the three leaders might be ready to prepare a counter-resolution should the US seek to push a second resolution through the security council authorising the use of force against Baghdad.

3 security not convinced Annan to confront bush preemption { September 23 2003 } France germany russia nix war vote Moscow paris berlin seek delay { February 10 2003 } No case for war No un middle road { October 18 2002 } Un chief warns Un largest group rejects { October 17 2002 } Un speech { September 13 2002 } Urges un { September 7 2002 } War not justified Files Listed: 11

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