31 Aug 2003 12:30:12 GMT
French vision of Iraq future goes beyond U.S. view
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By Tom Heneghan
PARIS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - After clashing spectacularly before the Iraq war, France and the United States are sending cautious signals about a possible willingness to consider a U.N.-mandated force to assure security in the unstable country.
The design Paris has drawn up for this, however, goes beyond what Washington seems ready to accept, French officials and analysts say. Hardest to swallow could be its implicit conclusion that U.S. policy until now has been a failure.
President Jacques Chirac and Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who infuriated Washington with their open hostility to its war plans, avoided "we-told-you-so" tones last week when arguing that a U.N. force should take over security in Iraq.
As the French see it, the United States must also hand over political responsibility to the Iraqis to ensure the multinational force is not simply seen as a U.S. puppet carrying out the Pentagon's plans. Washington has shown no signs so far of accepting that.
"We're not doing this to rub it in the Americans' noses or promote the United Nations, but because we think transferring these responsibilities to the U.N. is the best way forward," said one senior official. "But I don't think the Americans are ready to admit defeat and give up control of Iraq."
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