PARIS, March 20 - President Jacques Chirac said on Thursday that France regretted the outbreak of war in Iraq and saw serious consequences for the future no matter how long the hostilities lasted. He said in a statement that France, which staunchly opposed United States and British efforts to have the United Nations authorise the attacks, remained convinced that only the world body had the right to take collective action for peace. "France regrets this action taken without the approval of the United Nations," he said. "I hope these operations are as fast as possible, with the least fatalities, and that they do not lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
"No matter how long this conflict lasts, it will have serious consequences for the future," he added. "We must join with our allies and the whole international community to deal together with the challenges that await us." Chirac, who was due to travel to Brussels later on Thursday to attend a European Union summit, said Europe must present its own view of the world's problems and form a common defence policy.//