French Ready to Apologize to Iraq

Unlike several US politicians, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, said that he is willing to apologize to Iraq if the leaders there feel he had meddled too much into their affairs.

Besides the French, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki lashed out at Senators Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin, both democrats, for interfering with the Iraqi democratic process.

The BBC reported:

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has offered to apologise to Iraq if he had meddled in its affairs.

The statement comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Maliki demanded an official apology because Mr Kouchner had suggested he resign.

...Last week Mr Kouchner said the Iraqi government was "not functioning" and was quoted saying he had told the US that there was strong support in Iraq for Mr Maliki to resign and he "has got to be replaced".

In an interview with RTL radio on Monday, Mr Kouchner said: "I think that he [Mr Maliki] misunderstood, or that I was not clear enough that I was referring to comments I heard from Iraqis I talked to."

"If the prime minister wants me to apologise for having interfered so directly in Iraqi affairs, I'll do it willingly," he said.

Related... After a conference in Cairo last week where Iraqi religious leaders issued "A Fatwa Against Violence", Iraq on Sunday agreed on some key measures seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation.
Hat Tip American Liberty

UPDATE: Oui! Oui! Sarkozy!
Now, French President Sarkozy talks tough on Iran:

In his first major foreign policy speech, French president says diplomatic push by world's powers to rein in Tehran's nuclear program is only alternative to 'Iranian bomb or bombing of Iran'.