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EU & UK Face Rift Over Strikes On Iraq
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Schröder: Germany will only join US "war on terror" if UN backs actions
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BARCELONA, March 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Friday, Britain insisted that it was not trying to dictate to its skeptical European partners over the stance towards Iraq, amid signs that the country is next on the United States hit list for military strikes, news agencies reported.
"It's not that we are trying to dictate to others," a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair told a news briefing first day of an EU summit mainly devoted to economic reform, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
He said Blair raised the issue at a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on the eve of the summit and that this was likely to be discussed when the 15-nation bloc's leaders had dinner later Friday.
Blair was the main ally of U.S. President George W. Bush in the anti-terrorism coalition formed after the September 11 deadly attacks on the United States.
Washington, and to a lesser extent London, warned that the alleged Iraqi development of weapons of mass destruction must be "dealt with", raising widespread fears that Bush could spread his military offensive to the Gulf.
The British spokesman said that while Britain's EU partners agreed that the weapons were a problem, there remained deep divisions over how to respond.
"On that there's a continuing conversation between the allies about what's the best way forward," the spokesman said, adding "they have come from different perspectives, but they share the same goal".
Schröder, yesterday brought out the growing rift between Britain and continental Europe over taking the "war on terror" to Iraq when he signaled he had no intention of participating in any unilateral military action launched against Baghdad by the United States, reported U.K. newspaper, the Guardian.
Highlighting the breach between Tony Blair and his European partners, Schröder's spokeswoman confirmed a report that Germany would only join in a broadening of the U.S.-led "war on terror" if the action were backed by the United Nations. "It's a position of principle of which our American partners are also aware," she said.
Further looming problems were underlined yesterday when Turkey, a key member of NATO whose bases could be needed for military operations - argued that Saddam Hussein did not constitute a threat to his neighbours. Saudi Arabia has also made clear its opposition to use of its bases, reported the Guardian.
The paper said that the German view was inline with the French governments' stance, which insisted that any military operation should exist within the UN framework.
"In its two most recent major campaigns - Afghanistan and Kosovo - the U.S. has avoided U.N. involvement, preferring to work with NATO or through impromptu coalitions, of which Britain has consistently been at the forefront," reported the Guardian.
Javier Solana, EU foreign affairs commissioner, also echoed Blair's comments about there being no need to make decisions now, also hinted that UN endorsement of any offensive against Iraq was contemplated, reported U.K. newspaper, the Scotsman.
He said: "We will have plenty of time to think about that. We want to see how the situation may evolve in New York at the United Nations."
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