Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=JUNE 9, 2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH / CHIRAC / IRAQ (L)

NUMBER=2-316603

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADS: Bush and Chirac differ on NATO involvement in Iraq

INTRO: A day after France joined other U.N. Security Council members in unanimously passing a new resolution on Iraq, Washington and Paris clashed over the role of NATO forces in the country. White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports from the southern state of Georgia where leaders of the major industrialized nations are gathered for the G-8 summit.

TEXT: President Bush says he would like to see NATO play a bigger role in Iraq, where 15 members of the trans-Atlantic alliance already have troops in the U.S.-led multi-national force.

/// BUSH ACT ///

"We believe NATO ought to be involved. We will work with our NATO friends to at least continue the role that now exists and hopefully expand it somewhat. There are going to be some restraints obviously. A lot of NATO countries are not in a position to commit any more troops. We fully understand that. But I do think NATO ought to stay involved and I think we have a good chance of getting that done."

/// END ACT ///

White House officials say an expanded role for NATO could include training a new Iraqi army.

But French President Jacques Chirac says he has strong reservations about that idea because it's not NATO's job.

/// CHIRAC ACT IN FRENCH -- ESTABLISH AND FADE ///

The French leader says he is open for any discussion but does not believe it is the right time for NATO involvement as he does not feel it would be well understood inside Iraq.

President Chirac says he would be willing to consider the idea only if Iraq's new sovereign government requests it.

That goes to French concerns about the original text of the latest U.N. resolution and how much sovereignty Iraq's transitional authority will have with more than 130-thousand U.S. troops staying in the country after the June 30th handover of power.

President Chirac led opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq as he and President Bush disagreed over the need to use force to oust Saddam Hussein.

Both men sought to put those differences behind them last week during ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landing which began the liberation of France from Nazi rule during the Second World War.

Canada, France and Germany are all members of the NATO alliance though none have troops in Iraq. Two months ago, they turned down a request for a greater NATO role in Iraq because they said the alliance is already overstretched in the Balkans and Afghanistan.

While other NATO members do have troops in Iraq the alliance has no formal role in the military coalition. (SIGNED)

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