08-19-2007, 01:41 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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French foreign minister in Iraq
Quote:
French foreign minister in Iraq
Mr Kouchner (left) was greeted by his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad for a visit at the invitation of the country's president.
The trip marks the first time a French minister has been to Iraq since it opposed the US-led invasion in 2003.
The election in May of Nicolas Sarkozy as French president brought an improvement in relations with the US.
The French Foreign Ministry said Mr Kouchner was in the country to express a "message of solidarity".
The ministry said in a statement: "At the invitation of Mr Jalal Talabani, president of Iraq, the foreign minister has just begun an official visit to Baghdad.
"Bernard Kouchner is in Baghdad to express a French message of solidarity with the Iraqi people and to listen to the representatives of all communities."
'Highly symbolic'
The visit comes four years after the attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad which killed special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, a personal friend of Mr Kouchner.
The BBC's Mike Wooldridge, in Baghdad, says the visit is highly symbolic and shows Mr Sarkozy wanted to create a "clear divide" between himself and predecessor, Jacques Chirac.
France has hosted several Iraqi leaders and has given its support to the process of political transition.
Mr Sarkozy - who recently had informal talks with US President George Bush - has already said that the US could count on his friendship.
Deadly attack
The talks took place at Mr Bush's family home in the US state of Maine and some observers remarked that it was impossible to imagine Mr Chirac being given a similar invitation.
The two countries are also working together closely on issues involving Iran, Lebanon and Sudan.
Mr Kouchner arrives days after a deadly attack in the country killed hundreds of people.
The BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says the visit illustrates that France intends to establish a stronger presence on the world stage.
In 2003, Mr Kouchner was a rare French voice in refusing to condemn the US-led invasion.
He criticised the French stance and said the French had become "America-phobic".
Although President Sarkozy has described the war as a "mistake", he has also said France acted with "arrogance" in the run-up to it.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6953928.stm
Subtle but significantly telling change in French policy.
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