At the conclusion of a 90-minute meeting with President Jacques Chirac at the Élysée Palace, Khaddam confirmed that French and Syrian views were aligned on the Iraqi issue and the need to ensure security and stability in the region, as well as to prevent any military operation against Iraq.
Regarding the return of international weapons inspectors to Iraq, Khaddam stressed that “all these matters will be discussed between the United Nations and Iraq.”
It is worth noting that Syria is a member of the United Nations Security Council, while France is one of its five permanent members.
At the conclusion of the talks, the Élysée Palace announced that “the President of the Republic presented France’s position, which had the opportunity to be expressed publicly during the ambassadors’ meeting and in Johannesburg” on the sidelines of the Earth Summit.
Chirac expressed his opposition to any “unilateral” action, affirming that it is up to the Security Council to decide on any potential intervention in Iraq if Baghdad continues to refuse to allow the inspectors’ return.
The Élysée added that discussions also covered the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as relations between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon.
Praise for France’s role: Khaddam welcomed France’s role as one of the key players in our region, stating that Syria “highly appreciates President Chirac’s policy, as he understands the situation in the Middle East in all its complexities.”
