EU: The European Union's rift over Iraq has reappeared, with France and Germany dismissing as premature a UN Security Council resolution backed by Spain and Italy. A meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday showed the 15 member-states deeply divided over how to proceed towards the disarmament of Iraq.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana, described the lack of agreement as a failure.
"I have to say unfortunately, because this is one of the very important issues that deals with war and peace, we should have been able to get to a common position and we haven't. I have to say very frankly that we have failed for the moment," he said.
Germany's Foreign Minister, Mr Joschka Fischer, said the new UN resolution, backed by Britain, the United States and Spain, was out of step with the common approach to the Iraq crisis agreed by EU leaders last week. He said that UN Security Council Resolution 1441, giving Iraq a last chance to disarm, had not yet been exhausted. His French counterpart, Mr Dominique de Villepin, said the time for a second resolution had not yet arrived.
"We haven't got there yet. A great majority of the international community wants to continue the inspections," he said.
France wants the Security Council to issue a timetable instead setting precise deadlines for Iraq to disclose and destroy weapons. But Britain's Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, dismissed the French proposal, saying that the Iraqi President, Mr Saddam Hussein, already knew what was required of him.
"You don't need to treat him like a child, he is not a child. He does not need to be provided with a list of things he knows he's got to do in any event," he said.
Sweden's Foreign Minister, Ms Anna Lindh, said Britain and Spain's support for a new resolution meant the EU had lost its unity on Iraq in just a week. "Once the resolution is tabled, we will see disunity. We agreed one week ago to give the inspectors more time. It is a dangerous signal if we now table a second resolution saying it is too late," she said.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, played down EU disunity and suggested the differences among member-states were compatible with last week's statement by EU leaders.
"The EU common position remains the common position. Our view is that all these discussions should take place within the Security Council," he said.
Mr Cowen declined to condemn the tabling of a second resolution, which he said was seen by its proponents as part of the diplomatic and political pressure being put on Iraq to disarm. But he said the Government opposed the adoption of any new resolution until after weapons inspectors report to the Security Council next month.
"We don't believe it is the role of the EU to tell the Security Council what to do. We will support whatever the Security Council decides," he said.
