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European Defense Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council, Press briefing given by Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs (excerpts).
Brussels, December 9, 2004 (...) IRAQ Q. – A question today, a highly contentious one in my view. Mr Powell is criticizing some countries for not sending soldiers who are in NATO to the training mission in Iraq. Even if France has been a special case, since 1966, could you give us an opinion on this because France is among these countries, like Spain and Germany?
THE MINISTER – There's no misunderstanding or ambiguity here. Ever since the first mention of a NATO intervention in Iraq, we have expressed reservations. Here too, with the sole concern to be useful, to say useful things so that the political and economic process of rebuilding Iraq goes forward, we have expressed reservations. And from the outset, we have also said that there wouldn't, I repeat, not today, nor tomorrow, be either French soldiers or officers in Iraq. So the ground rules are clear. I added today that, given the security situation in Iraq, it would very probably be more efficient and more useful for the security forces to be trained outside Iraq. So since the initial training is in fact going to take place in the green zone, foreshadowing what's been called the military academy in Iraq, there won't be either French officers or French trainers. Let me point out that the proposed academy, which is for the moment a virtual one, will, of course, be located somewhere in the suburbs of Baghdad, but for the moment, given the situation, the training is taking place in the green zone. But it's taking place without any French officers. And we aren't the only country this applies to, as you know. FRANCE/US/IRAQ Q. – Do you believe it's possible to repair your trustful relations and the American Administration so long as the Iraq problem continues, in a way, to divide you?
THE MINISTER – But we have lots of areas in which we are working with trustful relations. Lots. The fight against terrorism is one of these and very probably the most important. Lots of crisis-management cases, in Africa, Haiti, Kosovo and Afghanistan. So things mustn't always be described in negative terms because there's been this serious, grave problem, and disagreement about the war, about the conditions for going to war in Iraq. Today we want to look forward, that's how we feel. Again, let's not forget these disagreements and the past. Let's not forget either, when it comes to France and the United States of America, that we've been Allies from the start. They are our oldest Allies, we are their oldest Allies. That's why we're working in this spirit, talking frankly to each other and working together in lots of areas. (...)./.
Embassy of France in the United States - December 10, 2004
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