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Chirac warns Jospin over policy intervention

PARIS: President Jacques Chirac on Saturday warned Prime Minister Lionel Jospin over his intervention in French foreign policy in the Middle East.

Chirac telephoned Jospin shortly after the prime minister's return from a stormy trip to the Middle East, the presidential office said in a communique. Chirac said France's credibility could be damaged if its "impartiality" in the Middle East was undermined.

Traditionally foreign policy is controlled by the president. But during the trip, Jospin created an uproar in the Arab world by describing militants of the Islamic group Hezbollah as "terrorists".

Demonstrators pelted him with stones at the University of Bir Zeit, on the West Bank, inflicting a minor scalp wound, members of his entourage said.

"The president of the republic telephoned the prime minister this evening, as soon as he returned from the Middle East. He confirmed what he had already made known in a written message on February 25," said the presidential communique.

"The head of state reaffirmed the constancy of France's foreign policy and the balance which inspires the action of our country in the Middle East, action which remains unchanged."

The communique added: "regarding relations between Israel and Lebanon, the president of the republic recalled the particular responsibilities given in April 1996 by the parties concerned to France and the United States, in a spirit of trust and impartiality".

"Threatening this impartiality would be damaging the credibility of our foreign policy and the capacity of France to act for peace," concluded Chirac in the communique.

Chirac told Jospin on Friday to report to him as soon as he returned to France, a presidential spokeswoman said.

On returning to Paris, Jospin said he would meet the president on Wednesday. AFP