Garcia: Iraq War Illegal

ANKARA - French Ambassador in Ankara Bernard Garcia said on Thursday that France absolutely considered the war as illegal.
Garcia made a statement following his meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Garcia said he requested an appointment from Gul to state attitude of France pertaining to action against Iraq. Garcia said France absolutely considered the war as illegal.
Garcia noted that their efforts within the body of the U.N. Security Council would continue.
Stating that he brought a message of French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin to Gul, Garcia said the two foreign ministers would meet in Brussels on Friday, noting that he also conveyed Gul that they were deeply effected over the democratic atmosphere of discussion in Turkey on Iraq issue.
Garcia said he told Gul that they could get the support of France, noting that influence of Europe in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank was two times more than the United States.
When asked whether or not support of France to Turkey depended on the development on the motion on sending Turkish troops to northern Iraq and opening Turkish airspace to aircrafts of foreign armed forces for six months, Garcia said there was not such a connection, noting that ''that we have a disagreement with the United States at the time being does not mean that we are not friends''.
Responding to another question, Garcia said attitude of France in opening its airspace but not taking part in the action are not issues that contradict with each other.
Garcia said France always wanted disarmament of Iraq, but that there was a disagreement with the United States on the method. He said disarmament of Iraq through peaceful means was also possible.
Garcia said Turkey would take its decision on the motion, and that France would respect to those decisions. Garcia said he did not make any suggestions to Ankara.
When asked about Turkey's entrance to Northern Iraq, Garcia said it was out of question to speak about attitude of Europe because there was not a compromise in this respect.
(AY-AÖ) 20.03.2003