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SLUG: 2-300813 Britain France Blame (L-O)
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DATE=3/17/2003 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=BRITAIN / FRANCE BLAME (S-O) NUMBER=2-300813 BYLINE=AL PESSIN DATELINE=LONDON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Britain has blamed France directly for the breakdown in efforts to convince Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to disarm, and says there are now only two options; either Mr. Hussein will resign or he will be disarmed by force. V-O-A's Al Pessin reports from London. TEXT: Britain's deputy prime minister, John Prescott, came out of an emergency cabinet meeting with a scathing rebuke of France. /// PRESCOTT ACT /// We deeply regret that the French intransigence and the Iraqi non-compliance have left us with no option but to bring discussions on our draft resolution to an end. /// END ACT /// Mr. Prescott said Prime Minister Tony Blair will lead a debate on Iraq in parliament Tuesday, in which he is expected to face strong criticism from many members of his own party for his decision to use force against Iraq without specific U-N approval. He said this would not have been necessary if the Security Council had been more firm. /// 2nd PRESCOTT ACT /// The prime minister told the cabinet just now that if the international community had stayed united and firm in its determination to implement Resolution 1441, we could have disarmed Saddam without a shot being fired. /// END ACT /// The British deputy prime minister said the only thing that can stop a war now is the resignation of Saddam Hussein, something Iraq says he will never do. (SIGNED) NEB/AWP/KL/RAE/FC |
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