US Says French Statement Demonstrates Iraqi Lies

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration said Tuesday that recent comments by France represent an important acknowledgement by Paris that Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction.

On Monday, during a speech at the U.N., French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that the new round of weapons inspections has been successful and that Iraq's weapons programs are either blocked or frozen.

However, the White House argued that de Villepin's comments show that France believes that Saddam Hussein still has programs in place to build weapons of mass destruction in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441. Iraq has denied that it has any such programs in place.

"That is an important acknowledgement by France that Iraq is lying," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Fleischer went on to say the French position that weapons inspectors should be given more time doesn't hold much water within the White House.

He said the real issue is whether Iraq is disarming rather than whether Iraq is being contained.

De Villepin also indicated that France would block any effort by the U.S. to seek another resolution backing a war with Iraq and said that war with Iraq should be last resort.

Fleischer brushed aside the comments, saying President George W. Bush has said repeatedly that he will lead a coalition of willing nations in any strike on Iraq with or without further U.N. approval.

What the president wants to avoid is a situation similar to the 1990s, when Iraq was able to lie about its weapons programs despite inspections and other forms of international pressure, Fleischer said.

In a backhanded slap at France, Fleischer also said the president wasn't terribly surprised that some countries are advocating going easy on Iraq. Fleischer said the president has often viewed his own role as one of "putting spine" into the U.N. and the international community.

Fleischer declined to say what countries will participate in any coalition effort to force Saddam from power but predicted it would be a large number.