EDITORIAL: The French and British leaders agreed to disagree on Iraq at a summit meeting in Le Touquet yesterday. Their overall relations registered a distinct improvement, after a period when they were described as the worst for 40 years.
It remains very much an open question as to whether that can be sustained through the difficult month to come, when fateful decisions will be made on whether Iraq has abided sufficiently with United Nations demands that it disarm to avoid a war.
President Jacques Chirac and Mr Tony Blair expressed agreement on two fundamental principles of their approach to the Iraqi issue: that Iraq must disarm and that this is best achieved through the United Nations.
Mr Chirac remarked that their differences are far fewer than they appear, in a significant acknowledgement that he wishes to see Anglo-French relations improve. But he repeated that the crisis is best resolved by political means and by giving the arms inspectors enough time and resources to complete their work, and that the worst possible option is war. He would decide on whether to use France's veto at the Security Council depending on the circumstances at the time. They include the report to the Security Council today by the US Secretary of State, Mr Powell, giving intelligence estimates of Iraq's failure to comply and the report by the arms inspectors next week.
Mr Blair believes a second resolution is required to authorise any military action, but it was not clear after yesterday's meeting whether he has convinced the French to support him.
Following last week's open disagreement among European governments on how to respond to the United States's policy on Iraq it may suit the French and British to support moves by the Greek EU presidency for a summit meeting in coming days to co-ordinate positions. But clearly the disagreements on timing and the use of force remain profound, even if there is more accord on Iraq's need to disarm and the UN's central role.
France and Britain share several major approaches on the future of the EU - which they reiterated yesterday with a proposal for greater co-operation on security and defence. They have many interests in common, which can be disguised in the publicity and diplomacy about their disagreements.
This summit marks an improvement in their relations, but it is altogether subject to forthcoming events around Iraq.