Ankara, Apr 23: France will continue to defend international law, Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin today said, responding to Washington's threat to punish Paris for its opposition to the war on Iraq. "France and a very large majority of the international community has acted throughout the Iraq crisis in accordance with its conviction and principle to defend international law," de Villepin told a news agency in Ankara, where he arrived yesterday for a tour of West Asia.
"France will continue to do this in all circumstances," he added. De Villepin's comments came after US Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday said that France would face consequences for its opposition to the war in Iraq. Asked in an interview with a television network whether Paris would be punished for its anti-war stance, Powell replied bluntly: "Yes."
De Villepin is scheduled to travel to Jordan later today before moving on to Iran for talks on the postwar situation in neighbouring Iraq. Bureau Report