France & Iraq

Holding what appears, even to myself, as inextricably conflicted views about France, I was nonetheless wholly pleased to read of France's new diplomatic efforts in Iraq.

One of the options under consideration, the official said, would be a peace conference that would bring Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish representatives to one table, modeled on a similar gathering Mr. Kouchner organized for Lebanese factions last month. Such a conference could be organized in France or in one of Iraq’s neighbors, said the official, who declined to be identified because the issue was still under discussion.

It remains uncertain whether any diplomatic effort is capable of yielding a favourable result at this juncture, but France's apparent willingness to expend diplomatic toil and political capital to make the attempt reflects well on the nation, the Sarkozy administration, and, above all, Bernard Kouchner.