France calls for independent Iraqi government by June 30

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 19, 2004

France calls for independent Iraqi government by June 30

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin urged the international community on Thursday to help set up by June 30 an independent Iraqi government, which can ask a UN security force to stay.

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French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin urged the international community on Thursday to help set up by June 30 an independent Iraqi government, which can ask a UN security force to stay.

"Everyone is aware of the importance to observe the date" of June 30, expected for the power transfer from occupation forces to an interim Iraqi government, said De Villepin in an interview published Thursday by the French Daily Le Monde.

To him, the fundamental law approved on March 1 by the Iraqi Governing Council does not give enough power to the interim government.

"It's imperative that (the date) marks a transfer of a real sovereignty, which ensures real powers to the Iraqis ... We have to accelerate the move," he said.

"The situation will be then all different" with a sovereign Iraqi government, he said.

There can be a force led by the United Nations to request an independent Iraqi state, working together with the countries of the region, he added.

These remarks came after Spanish Prime Minister-elect Jose LuisRodriguez Zapatero said Spain will withdraw its 1,300-strong forceon July 1, if there's no sovereign Iraqi government to be established by June 30 or foreign forces are not under UN mandate then.

De Villepin also urged the UN Security Council, the European Union (EU) and NATO to convoke urgent meetings in order to coordinate on Iraqi issues.

The French policy on Iraq was however widely criticized by Iraqi people, rather than being applauded. "The European, especially the French, determine their position merely by following Washington. They never pay attention to Iraq and its people," judged Fakhri Karim, director of the Iraqi Daily Al-Mada,trying to summarize Iraqi people's sentiment, according to Le Monde. ��

Source: Xinhua

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