Today's Date:

Ladies and gentlemen, it was of course a pleasure for me to receive a visit, for the first time since the German general election, from the Chancellor, and so pursue our deeply-rooted cooperation and friendship. We began, of course, by talking about European matters, particularly in the context of the preparation of the Brussels and Copenhagen summits, and confirmed what we’d said in Schwerin and Hanover, i.e. that we would have a common position on the three essential subjects we had to deal with: the enlargement, including the problems to do with agriculture and finance, the institutions and the work on their reform conducted by the Convention, and the relaunch of the Common European Security and Defence Policy.
We also talked about giving a new boost to Germano-French cooperation on the fortieth anniversary of the Elysée Treaty on 22 January next year. (...)

MIDDLE EAST

We then talked about the international problems. On the Middle East, we once again regretted the failure to end the tit-for-tat spiral of force, violence and terror, and confirmed Europe's desire – that of both Germany and France and of Britain – to see the rapid convening of an international conference.

IRAQ

We talked, of course, about the problem of Iraq, noting, without going as far as reaching the same conclusions (...) that our approaches and our analyses are extremely similar. Above all, we want Iraq to have no weapons of mass destruction and there to be inspections to check that this is unequivocally the case. For this we want the unconditional return of the inspectors, and value and approve of the efforts Mr Blix has initiated in this sphere.
Is or isn't there a need for a new resolution? This is a problem which has to be discussed by the members of the Security Council. On the other hand, we are totally against a resolution referring to any automaticity of a military intervention. (...) France, like Germany, is clearly reaffirming that the Security Council alone has the power to decide on military action. (...)./.