-Caveat Lector- http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,918857,00.html Britain reveals France's £135m exports to Iraq
Nicholas Watt, political correspondent Friday March 21, 2003 The Guardian Britain intensified its propaganda campaign against France yesterday by releasing figures showing that Paris has exported goods worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Iraq. The government published a detailed breakdown of trade figures which allegedly show that France is "stretching" the rules of UN sanctions. Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, claimed that in the first six months of last year France exported goods worth $212.5m (£135m) to Iraq. Germany exported goods worth $203.8m. In the same period Britain exported goods worth $27.8m. The figures were released in a parliamentary written answer hours before Tony Blair was due to meet Jacques Chirac at an EU summit in Brussels. No formal commentary was attached, but the clear intention was to to undermine French claims that it is opposing the war on moral grounds. Government sources said the figures showed that France was stretching UN security council resolution 661, which tightly restricts exports to Iraq. Under the oil-for-food programme foreign companies are allowed to export machinery solely to maintain existing refineries. One source said: "We interpret resolution 661 very strongly. We interpret that to mean that it is illegal to do other than maintain what is there [in terms of exports for the oil industry]. Clearly the French and the Germans have done more than that." Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, insisted yesterday that relations with his French counterpart, Dominique de Villepin, were "very good". Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutra <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
