FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2003
France insists it wants US to win Iraq war
AP
PARIS: France's government insisted on Friday that it hopes US-led forces win the war in Iraq, protesting news reports that the French foreign minister was ambiguous about his position.
The Foreign Ministry issued a curt statement quoting Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin as saying on March 24: "The United States, we hope, will win this war quickly."
The statement said the ministry was "indignant" about the press coverage of Villepin's comments on Wednesday at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
The ministry did not specify which publications it was referring to, but at least two English-language newspapers reported that Villepin refused to say explicitly who he hoped would win the war.
When asked after a speech if he wanted the coalition forces to win, Villepin said he would not answer, admonished reporters for not listening carefully and referred them to earlier remarks.
Villepin's speech made no clear statement on which side he wanted to win. The Foreign Ministry on Friday said he was referring to statements he had made in the past, including the one on March 24.
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