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Bush, George W.

Bush to Meet Chirac in Bid to Mend Relations and Secure UN Support for Iraq

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As part of a effort to repair a severely strained alliance, President George W. Bush is planning a series of meetings with French President Jacques Chirac, beginning this week. The diplomatic push aims to restore US relations with France and garner greater international support for the mission in Iraq. The meetings will be a test of the White House's ability to drum up support for the mission, and will touch on key issues such as a new United Nations resolution and potential French aid to Iraq. The stakes are high, with domestic political consequences potentially at play for Mr. Bush, who faces criticism from Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry over the state of US-European relations.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Bush is planning to meet with French President Jacques Chirac four times over the next month, a move aimed at mending the strained alliance between the two countries.
  • The meetings will focus on key issues such as a new United Nations resolution to govern the multinational force in Iraq, and potential French aid to Iraq, including training of Iraqi police and security forces or forgiveness of part of Iraq's foreign debt.
  • The results of the meetings could have important domestic political consequences for Mr. Bush, who faces criticism over the sorry state of US-European relations.
  • Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, acknowledged that the US and France have endured "difficulties" over Iraq, but said they were co-operating on a range of other issues.
  • Mr. Bush has pledged that the US will pass "full sovereignty" to a new interim Iraqi government, a condition demanded by Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a basis for a new UN resolution.
  • The meetings are a test of the White House's ability to drum up greater international support for the mission in Iraq.
  • Senator John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has repeatedly attacked Mr. Bush over the state of US-European relations.

Statistics:

  • The US and France have endured "difficulties" over Iraq, but are co-operating on a range of other issues (Condoleezza Rice).
  • The White House has pledged to pass "full sovereignty" to a new interim Iraqi government (Mr. Bush).
  • The US-led invasion of Iraq has strained the alliance between the US and France (Bush administration).
  • The US and France have had a particularly icy relationship, particularly over the Iraq war (AP).
  • The meetings between Bush and Chirac will be the fourth set of talks between the two leaders in the past year (AP).

Sources:

  • Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser, as quoted by the Washington Post (no date).
  • AP, "Bush to Meet Chirac in Bid to Mend Relations" (no date).
  • AP, "Bush and Chirac Meet in Bid to Mend Relations" (no date).
  • Mr. Bush, as quoted by the White House (no date).
  • Senator John Kerry, as quoted by the New York Times (no date).

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