March 16, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 12, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 15: Proposing a summit level meeting of the UN Security Council, France has reiterated that it will vote against the Anglo-American draft which includes automatic recourse to force.

In a statement issued here on Friday, French Ambassador M. Yannick Gerard said his country would vote against any resolution which endorsed a decision to recourse to force taken outside the UNSC and outside the resolution 1441 with objectives which had nothing to do with those of the Council like regime change or remapping of the region.

Mr Gerard said the right to veto could not be questioned as it was inscribed in the UN charter, “France has used it only 18 times against 77 times by the US and 32 by the UK.”

Paris, the ambassador said, had clearly informed American and British leaders of France’s position, “but divergence of views do not affect our relations with these countries.”

“We are convinced that we have to work together and with the rest of the international community for the settlement of crises and main threats,” he added.

He said disarmament of Iraq could be achieved through the inspections and recourse to force was unjustified.

According to him, military intervention would have grave consequences for the region and for the international stability, “it would affect the capacity to work together against terrorism.”

He said beyond Iraq it was the future international order which was at stake.

The ambassador said France was open to discussion provided the main principles of resolution 1441 are respected. “We cannot accept any ultimatum.”