France and Germany are in agreement that "everything must be done to avoid war" in Iraq, French President Jacques Chirac said in Paris today after meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
"Germany and France have the same judgement on the Iraq crisis," Mr Chirac said at a press conference with Mr Schroeder by his side.
That was summed up in two points, he said.
"The first is that any decision for the (UN) Security Council belongs to it alone, to be expressed after hearing the report of the inspectors" searching for alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chirac said.
The second is that, "for us, war is always evidence of failure. Everything must be done to avoid war."
Last night Mr Schroeder made it clear that his country will refuse to back a UN Security Council resolution authorising an attack on Iraq.
The chancellor ended weeks of hedging by aligning himself more closely with France before Germany chairs the council next month.
Mr Schroeder's position is likely further to displease US President George Bush, who has scolded countries like Germany that are seeking more time for UN weapons inspectors to search in Iraq.
"Don't expect Germany to approve a resolution legitimising war, don't expect it," Mr Schroeder told a rally of his Social Democratic party last night in Lower Saxony, where state elections are due on February 2nd.
That followed similar statements by France, which said this week that it sees no justification for a war right now and left open the possibility of a French veto if the United States sought a new Security Council resolution authorising military action.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin hinted onMonday that Paris might use its veto if the council voted on a resolution authorising a war, especially if Washington planned to attack by itself.
Mr Schroeder has already ruled out a German combat role in any Iraq war.
He has maintained an uneasy balance for months between his country's alliance with the US and strong anti-war sentiment in Germany, which helped him win re-election last year.
His platform - built on defying Washington - strained US-German ties. Though it wields no veto, Germany is set to assume a central role in Iraq war diplomacy when it takes over the council chairmanship in February, just after the UN inspectors are due to submit a progress report on January 27th.
Agencies