FLASHBACK

Chirac drumming up support to halt US-British rush to war

French President Jacques Chirac is lobbying other heads of state to join him at an emergency summit of United Nations Security Council members to search for a compromise on Iraq, according to a statement from his office at the weekend.
The presidential palace also reiterated France's objection to a US-British draft resolution giving Saddam Hussein a March 17 ultimatum to destroy illicit weapons or prove he has none.
"War is not a small thing," Mr Chirac's office said. "When you declare death or life, this merits being taken to the highest level of responsibility."

[SMH: March 10 2003]