Today's Date:

Election in Iraq

Interview given by Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the "Le Parisien Dimanche" newspaper.

Paris, January 30, 2005

Q. – What credibility can be given to elections in such an explosive situation?

THE MINISTER – We have known from the outset that this election is difficult, given the climate of insecurity and sometimes even of chaos reigning in Iraq. But it's possible, and useful, since this tragedy, this instability will be ended only through a political process, through democracy and elections. The Iraqis haven't had the opportunity to vote democratically for several decades. Today they are very clearly keen to do so: 13 million of them have registered on the electoral lists, despite the situation.

Q. – Wouldn't it have been better to postpone the poll, as many Iraqis were themselves asking?

THE MINISTER – Who can be sure that by postponing it the election would have been better and safer? It's the first step in a process. It has to be used as a basis on which to build and make a success of the other stages, particularly the drawing-up of a Constitution.

Q. – Don't you fear the arrival in power of the Shiite religious leaders?

THE MINISTER – Let's not impugn anyone's motives. As in every society, there are in Iraq communities, majority forces and other minorities. What's important is for the largest ones to use their majority and their power intelligently and for minorities to have a fair place and be respected.

Q. – Precisely, doesn't the Sunnis' boycotting pose a major problem?

THE MINISTER – It will make it imperative, in any case, to involve all the country's political forces in the preparation of the Constitution. A constitutional and territorial organization will have to be found for Iraq which guarantees fairness and that everyone is properly represented.

Q. – Some people are already predicting a civil war?

THE MINISTER – That's not inevitable: if action is taken one stage at a time, it has to be possible to find a way out of the present difficult situation. The Iraqi people must regain their total sovereignty in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Q. – Have the US armed forces got to pull out?

THE MINISTER – UNSCR 1546 lays down the prospect of the withdrawal of the foreign troops at the end of 2005. This is a timescale set in agreement with the Americans by a resolution which was passed unanimously. We mustn't lose sight of this timescale... taking account, of course, of the situation prevailing at the time.

Q. – Couldn't France do more?

THE MINISTER – France has already said she is willing to support the Iraqi people in the political and economic reconstruction. There won't be any French soldiers in Iraq, either now or later, since it won't be additional foreign soldiers who would be useful. When he had a meeting recently with his Iraqi opposite number, Jacques Chirac confirmed that we are ready and willing to participate in training the police – outside Iraqi territory. The instability of the Middle East is our own instability. France's priority is to contribute to rejoining the path of peace in the region./.