March 26, 2003	Wednesday	Muharram 22, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 25: The French and German envoys in Islamabad on Tuesday called for an early end to the Iraq war and pressed for a more pro-active UN role to end the current crisis.

The two European envoys made this appeal at a joint reception hosted here at the French ambassador’s residence to mark the 40th anniversary of the German-French Peace Treaty.

US Ambassador Nancy Powell and British envoy Hilary Synnott were also present on the occasion. The otherwise much sought after Powell and Synnott stood isolated at the reception that was loaded with the anti-war rhetoric. Both maintained a low profile and occupied back seats.

As speakers lauded the deep Franco-German commitment to rule of law in the current international crisis, the US and British ambassadors looked on somberly.

“The big and powerful cannot claim special rights,” German envoy Christoph Brummer said emphatically. However, sensitive to the presence of Nancy Powell, he hastened to add: “Let me say that America is still a great country and has a great democracy.”

The German envoy’s pointed message for his traditional, but now estranged allies was: “We hope the US and UK will find themselves back in the fold of equally entitled nations.”

French Ambassador Yannick Gerard termed the US-led military attack on Iraq an “illegitimate war” and said the united French and German stand against it was essential in support of the world opinion and other peace-loving countries to restore peace and dialogue.

He concluded on an optimistic note saying that these united efforts would restore peace and the role of the UN. “Without the UN this world will be a terrifying jungle,” the French envoy warned.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri, who was the guest of honour, also reiterated that the role of the UN was very important in the post-Iraq war scenario. He stressed that all UN resolutions be respected on non-selective basis.

As guests applauded the impassioned anti-war calls, the US and British envoys looked on with straight faces.

When asked how she felt representing the American administration in the midst of predominant anti-war sentiment, the US ambassador said: “I have no comments this evening.” When the same question was put to her British counterpart, he was equally evasive. “I’m here to celebrate the French-German Treaty not to give an interview,” he said smilingly.