THE French Foreign Minister, Mr Herve de Charette, yesterday fried to quash reports of Franco American differences over the Zaire refugee crisis, saying he saw no conflict of interest over Africa.
"Undoubtedly in the past weeks there were some bitter words exchanged between our two countries and I believe such exchanges were unfortunate," Mr de Charette told the daily Le Parisien.
The French Minister was referring both to the Zaire crisis and to a public dispute last month between the US State Department and Mr Jacques Godrain, France's junior minister for co operation. Washington angrily complained after Mr Godrain said the US was only interested in Africa at election time and that a visit to the continent by the US Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher, was aimed at promoting President Clinton's re election.
Some French newspapers have hinted heavily in past days that the US reluctance to join a peace force to aid refugees in east Zaire was really aimed at undercutting France's position in Africa.
France, leading a so far unsuccessful campaign to create such an international force, has been accused by Rwanda and others of favouring the Hutus over the Tutsis in the Zaire crisis.
Critics say Paris is still smarting over its loss of influence in neighbouring Rwanda when a Paris backed, Hutu led government was overthrown by Tutsi rebels in 1994.
The US yesterday denied it was blocking the creation of an international force but said it had seen no coherent plan.
"France has no secret agenda and its goal in this affair is totally altruistic," Mr de Charette said.
France was ready to contribute 1,000 troops to a 5,000 strong force which should include US, African and European troops. Mr de Charette told Le Parisien that Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and several former French African colonies had said they would join.