France considers putting its own ceasefire plan to UN
MSN
Jacques Chirac, the French president, on Wednesday raised the prospect of a renewed diplomatic confrontation with the US over Lebanon, saying Paris was prepared to introduce its own ceasefire plan to the United Nations Security Council if efforts to forge agreement with Washington failed.
"If we don't manage it, there will obviously be a debate in the Security Council and everyone will present their position clearly, including, of course, France with its own resolution," he said in Toulon.
Mr Chirac's remarks reflected growing frustration with the diplomatic deadlock at the UN, centred on an initial draft ceasefire resolution agreed by France and the US at the weekend. Following objections from Lebanon and the Arab League, France is now pushing for changes aimed at accommodating Arab concerns, which focused on the failure of the US-French plan to demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
Diplomats say the US remains opposed to placing such a demand on Israel.
"It does seem that there is an American reservation about adopting this draft," Mr Chirac said. "I can't imagine that there would be no solution because that would mean the most immoral result - that we accept the current situation and that we abandon an immediate ceasefire." France is believed to be pushing for changes that would include altering the language covering the proposed cessation of hostilities, which currently calls on Israel to end "offensive military operations", while calling on Hizbollah "to end all attacks".
France and the US also disagree on the timing of the deployment of an international peace force.
Lebanon also wants the UN to call for an immediate Israeli withdrawal after the ceasefire, with the Lebanese army, supported by an enhanced version of the existing Unifil peace-keeping force, taking its place.
The initial US-French draft calls for a second resolution that would create a framework for a separation of forces, the deployment of an international force and an eventual Israeli withdrawal.
Diplomats at the UN said there was a desire to postpone discussions on the make-up of the proposed force to be deployed in the area until a ceasefire is in place. Lebanon is opposed to deployment of an international force that is not under direct UN command. Link
Bush's poodle Tony Blair is currently on holiday in the Caribbean, Tony Blair's glove puppet Margaret Beckett is caravaning in France.
Jacques Chirac, the French president, on Wednesday raised the prospect of a renewed diplomatic confrontation with the US over Lebanon, saying Paris was prepared to introduce its own ceasefire plan to the United Nations Security Council if efforts to forge agreement with Washington failed.
"If we don't manage it, there will obviously be a debate in the Security Council and everyone will present their position clearly, including, of course, France with its own resolution," he said in Toulon.
Mr Chirac's remarks reflected growing frustration with the diplomatic deadlock at the UN, centred on an initial draft ceasefire resolution agreed by France and the US at the weekend. Following objections from Lebanon and the Arab League, France is now pushing for changes aimed at accommodating Arab concerns, which focused on the failure of the US-French plan to demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
Diplomats say the US remains opposed to placing such a demand on Israel.
"It does seem that there is an American reservation about adopting this draft," Mr Chirac said. "I can't imagine that there would be no solution because that would mean the most immoral result - that we accept the current situation and that we abandon an immediate ceasefire." France is believed to be pushing for changes that would include altering the language covering the proposed cessation of hostilities, which currently calls on Israel to end "offensive military operations", while calling on Hizbollah "to end all attacks".
France and the US also disagree on the timing of the deployment of an international peace force.
Lebanon also wants the UN to call for an immediate Israeli withdrawal after the ceasefire, with the Lebanese army, supported by an enhanced version of the existing Unifil peace-keeping force, taking its place.
The initial US-French draft calls for a second resolution that would create a framework for a separation of forces, the deployment of an international force and an eventual Israeli withdrawal.
Diplomats at the UN said there was a desire to postpone discussions on the make-up of the proposed force to be deployed in the area until a ceasefire is in place. Lebanon is opposed to deployment of an international force that is not under direct UN command. Link
Bush's poodle Tony Blair is currently on holiday in the Caribbean, Tony Blair's glove puppet Margaret Beckett is caravaning in France.
posted by exoplanet at 10:42 PM
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