- ATHENS (Reuters) - The European
Union rejected a war on Iraq without the backing of the United Nations
Tuesday and said weapons inspectors must have time to do their job.
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- Prime Minister Costas Simitis of Greece, EU president
until the end of June, said a war would harm peace and stability in the
Middle East.
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- Speaking after a meeting with visiting Romanian Prime
Minister Adrian Nastase, Simitis said:
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- "We both estimate that peace (in Iraq) must be preserved.
We both believe a conflict will result in delaying many developments and
is a conflict that will not benefit stability and peace in the region."
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- Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who plans to
lead an EU mission to the Middle East at the end of January in a bid to
avert war, said there was no need for a conflict if Iraq cooperated with
weapons inspectors.
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- Papandreou said a report the weapons inspectors were
to deliver to the U.N. Security Council Monday on how Iraq was cooperating
was not a deadline on whether to go to war.
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- "United Nations 1441 resolution doesn't say there
should be a decision on January 27 when the report is submitted,"
Papandreou told reporters, referring to a resolution on Iraq passed in
November.
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- "So, in theory and in practice, there could be more
time. Inspectors could continue their work for some more time."
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- Top United Nations weapons inspector Mohamed ElBaradei,
who Monday briefed Papandreou about the Iraqi search, told Reuters on his
visit to Athens that quite a few more months were needed to complete the
search for any Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
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- Papandreou said the EU would only back a war if "the
United Nations decide clearly and unanimously to take military measures,
because they have incontestable proof and great concerns."
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- In Brussels Tuesday French Foreign Minister Dominique
de Villepin said Paris aimed to mobilize the European Union to avert a
war.
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- Rejecting mounting U.S. pressure for an early decision
on military action, Villepin said: "It is important that Europe speak
on this issue with a single voice. We are mobilized, we believe war can
be avoided."
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