De Villepin comments on differences with US over Iraq

1. Press conference
2. French officials
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dominique de Villepin, French Foreign Minister:
"France and the United States have had differences, but today we need to make the political process a success for Iraq, for the region, for the international community. A success fully endorsed by the Iraqis. France has always supported an early transfer of sovereignty and a leading role for the UN in assisting the Iraqis in the political process. France supports the missions which (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan is sending. We have full confidence in the ability of the UN to assist the Iraqis in finding a workable solution for a legitimate provisional government."
4. Press conference
5. Press
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dominique de Villepin, French Foreign Minister:
"I think that my colleague and friend Colin Powell (US Secretary of State), when he stood up in front of the Security Council at the beginning of February (2003), took the stand he believed on with the knowledge he had at the time. We all know that we are in a very difficult international community and everyone is working with the kind of information we have and that's why we believe it's important in working closely together."
7. Pan from press to de Villepin
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dominique de Villepin, French Foreign Minister:
"We are friends and we are allies and we never forget that and we have a common objective, a more stable, just, and confident world which is able to face difficulties together."
9. Press conference

STORYLINE:

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin insisted on Friday that France was right to call for more United Nations (UN) inspections instead of war in Iraq.

De Villepin said: "France and the United States have had differences, but today we need to make the political process a success for Iraq".

Earlier on Friday United States (US) Secretary of State Colin Powell returned to the scene of a bitter dispute with France over war with Iraq and went out of his way to mend fences with the sometimes difficult ally.

Powell said: "We were not on the same wavelength," before hosting a lunch for de Villepin and other senior French officials.

At a press conference after lunch, de Villepin said "Powell, when he stood up in front of the Security Council at the beginning of February (2003), took the stand he believed on with the knowledge he had at the time."

He pledged that France and the United States would work together and called Powell "my colleague and friend."

Only last month Powell made clear in a radio interview that the French sometimes get under his skin even while being a US ally since the American
war for independence from Britain.

1.新闻发布会
2.法国官员
3.法国外交大臣多米尼克·德维尔潘（英语）：
“法国和美国存在分歧，但今天我们需要使政治进程对伊拉克，对该地区，对国际社会都取得成功。这一成功得到伊拉克人的充分认可。法国始终支持尽早移交主权法国支持联合国秘书长科菲·安南（Kofi Annan）派遣的任务，法国对联合国协助伊拉克人寻找可行解决方案的能力充满信心合法的临时政府。”
4.新闻发布会
5.按
6.法国外交大臣多米尼克·德维尔潘（英语）：
“我认为我的同事和朋友科林·鲍威尔（美国国务卿）于2月初（2003年）站在安全理事会面前时，以他当时所掌握的知识坚定了自己的立场我们都知道我们处于一个非常困难的国际社会中，每个人都在利用我们所拥有的信息进行工作，这就是为什么我们认为在密切合作中很重要。”
7.从新闻平移到de Villepin
8.法国外交大臣多米尼克·德维尔潘（英语）：
“我们是朋友，我们是盟友，我们永远不会忘记这一点，我们有一个共同的目标，一个更加稳定，公正和自信的世界，能够共同面对困难。”
9.新闻发布会

故事情节：

法国外交部长维尔潘（Dominique de Villepin）周五坚持认为，法国要求进行更多的联合国视察而不是对伊拉克发动战争是正确的。

德维尔潘说：“法国和美国存在分歧，但是今天我们需要使政治进程对伊拉克取得成功”。

星期五早些时候，美国国务卿科林·鲍威尔回到了法国与伊拉克战争的激烈争端现场，并竭尽全力修补了有时困难的盟友的篱笆。

鲍威尔说：“我们相距甚远”，然后为德维尔潘和其他法国高级官员共进午餐。

午餐后，德维尔潘在午餐会上的新闻发布会上说：“鲍威尔于2003年2月初在安全理事会面前站起来时，以他当时所掌握的知识站了起来。”

他保证法国和美国将共同努力，并称鲍威尔为“我的同事和朋友”。

鲍威尔上个月才在一次电台采访中明确表示，即使自从美国成为美国盟友以来，法国人有时也会被他掩盖
争取英国独立战争。