UK and France resolve pre-war differences

Now that the war in Iraq is reaching its closing stages following the collapse of organised resistance within Baghdad, Britain is moving to achieve more stable relations with its European neighbours.

In a turnaround on the frosty pre-war relations with France, a spirit of entente cordiale has emerged following a meeting between Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and his French opposite number Dominique de Villepin.

The ministers held a joint press conference following their meeting in Paris, in which they discussed Iraq, the Middle East Peace Process, the EU, the UK and French bilateral relationship, Northern Ireland, India and Pakistan and the Ivory Coast.

However, the warmth between the ministers was an important signal that France and Britain were doing business again and their falling out in the run up to war was over.

The sang froid between Blair and Chirac had spilled over into a meeting for the heads of EU member states after Britain and the US pressed ahead with their military build up without the full backing of the international community.

However, today Mr Straw reaffirmed the olive branch statement in Tuesday's Anglo-US communique that the UN would play a "vital role" in the reconstruction of the Iraqi nation and that Iraq's government would be composed "by the people of Iraq".

Mr Straw went on to describe "the profound ties of friendship" between the UK and France.

He added: "We're committed as France is to maintaining and strengthening these ties… Life would be very boring if friends always agreed there’d be nothing to talk about and I make this as in a serious way, this is a grown up relationship."

Rounding off the press conference, Mr de Villepin said: "There’s a real loyalty, a common loyalty that we have, a respect and we’re frank about it but for this friendship you know we’ve got all the ingredients for a good friendship and that France and Britain will work together to always work for the best and to get the best out of each other."

The media in the UK has been especially critical of the French government and particularly of President Jacques Chirac – The Sun sent a 2,000 print run of a French language edition to Paris in which it described Chirac as 'Le Worm'. The US media has been more vehement in its declamation of France – dubbing it a nation of "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" and at the head of the "axis of weasels".

But with Iraq largely entering a post-conflict phase, Britain and France have begun the process of rebuilding bridges closer to home.

(GMcG)