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Is the US acting as a sole superpower by snubbing UN? Post your views

Chennai: France has no plans to send troops to Iraq under the present circumstances, the French Ambassador Dominique Girard said in Chennai on July 22.

"We still maintain that the US military intervention in Iraq was a mistake", he told reporters adding that legitimacy in Iraq would happen only when there is UN authorisation for what is taking place in that country.

Maintaining that backing of the international community as represented by UN was most necessary to restore legitimacy and democracy in Iraq, Girard said that UN was best equipped to handle the situation and the best instrument to be in charge of the transition in Iraq.

Pointing out that the stand of both France and India continued to be the same on the Iraq issue, he said that his country had explicitly expressed its view that the war was a mistake.

"France and US are strong allies, but there is no meaning of friendship unless you tell your friend what the truth is, he said adding that even the most benevolent super power was vulnerable to mistakes unless there was a proper understanding of the ground realities.

The need of the hour in Iraq was to restore confidence of the people of Iraq, alleviate their sufferings and give back the sovereignty to the people. This could be possible only when UN was in charge of the affairs.

PTI