Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said there were signs of increased cooperation from Baghdad and that this strengthened the case for giving the experts more time.
“If there is a need for more resources for the inspections, we can make these resources available to the inspectors,” he told the upper house of Parliament, the Senate.
“It’s very important as we see that all this is leading to a change in Iraq’s attitude and this change is heading the right way.”
French President Jacques Chirac yesterday met with Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri for talks focused on the Iraqi crisis, with Hariri hailing Paris and Beirut’s common stance on the issue.
“We want a peaceful solution,” Hariri told reporters in Paris following the meeting, noting that France’s position with respect to Baghdad was “exactly the same” as that of Lebanon.
The Lebanese prime minister said Chirac had told him that there was “no tension” between Paris and Washington on the issue but merely “differences in assessment”, and that both sides agreed on the need to disarm Iraq.
“If there is a need for more resources for the inspections, we can make these resources available to the inspectors,” he told the upper house of Parliament, the Senate.
“It’s very important as we see that all this is leading to a change in Iraq’s attitude and this change is heading the right way.”
French President Jacques Chirac yesterday met with Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri for talks focused on the Iraqi crisis, with Hariri hailing Paris and Beirut’s common stance on the issue.
“We want a peaceful solution,” Hariri told reporters in Paris following the meeting, noting that France’s position with respect to Baghdad was “exactly the same” as that of Lebanon.
The Lebanese prime minister said Chirac had told him that there was “no tension” between Paris and Washington on the issue but merely “differences in assessment”, and that both sides agreed on the need to disarm Iraq.