Chirac: "We Need a Strong U.S."

By Karsten Prager and Jordan Bonfante

A renowned hard charger, Jacques Chirac continues to serve as mayor of Paris as well as Premier of France. Before a crackling log fire in his spacious and opulent office in Paris' city hall, Chirac ranged over a number of domestic and foreign questions in a conversation with TIME International Editor Karsten Prager and Paris Bureau Chief Jordan Bonfante last week. Excerpts from the one-hour interview:

On the fallout from Iranscam. If present developments in the U.S. -- on which naturally one can make no judgment -- weaken the Administration and the President, that would be bad for everybody, for the U.S. and the free world. We need a strong U.S. Administration, one open to dialogue. So we would regret, and fail to understand, that impassioned reactions should put in question the authority of the Administration. Still, I am confident in President Reagan's ability to overcome these difficulties.

On a U.S.-Soviet arms-control agreement. Naturally, we are aware that in short-range missiles, the Soviets retain a considerable advantage, as they do in conventional and chemical arms. We would like any agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union to take Europe's security interests into account. For us, the zero option, the withdrawal and destruction of Soviet SS- 20s and of U.S. Pershing II and cruise missiles, could be positive elements as long as there existed, on a parallel basis, the broad outlines of agreement in principle on equilibrium in short-range missiles and on the means of verification. Will it be balanced and verifiable? We're not there yet.

On the security of Europe. For France, the security of Europe involves three principles: the maintenance of nuclear deterrence, which for a long time will remain the only guarantee of peace; the maintenance -- not that I think it is in question -- of U.S.-European solidarity; and the reinforcement of a cohesive European defense effort within the Atlantic Alliance. In response to the third requirement, France has increased its defense effort.

On the Strategic Defense Initiative. We do not want, in political terms, to be part of a proposal that does not yet appear to us to be sufficiently clear. On the other hand, we do not want to ignore the technical aspects of this research, and we are encouraging French firms to work with, let's say, U.S. companies and the SDI organization in this field. We just have not signed any agreement on this point. We think an effort will inevitably develop, as it already has in the Soviet Union and as it will in the U.S., to reinforce ((antimissile)) protection, but we suggest that effort cannot be absolute. Since man has existed, the sword and the shield have constantly been reinforced.

On U.S. protectionism. I am surprised to discover when I speak with American friends that they are not fully aware of the situation in Europe. The European Community is the least protected economic zone. In terms of agricultural products, for example, the Americans accuse us of protectionism, yet over the past 15 years U.S. agricultural exports to Europe have considerably increased in volume. The U.S.-E.C. balance, in terms of agriculture, is very positive for the U.S., which means it is not true that Europe is protectionist. The Americans always want more -- not a very fair position. When there is conflict, you must not use gunboat diplomacy. The problem is not Franco- American. It is a European Community-U.S. issue.

On cohabitation. On the whole, cohabitation has not kept the government from governing. We have put through probably the largest number of reforms to have been carried out by any French government since 1958. Cohabitation could have posed problems in two areas: foreign policy and defense. Yet there were none because France is in a special position among Western democracies: there is a general consensus on defense policy. In foreign policy, broadly speaking, the situation is the same. The principles that were put forward by President de Gaulle are now accepted by everybody -- except the Communists. But cohabitation is not a logical system and not one to be adopted as a model. Since we are democrats, we have to live with it, but I hope cohabitation will end with the election ((in 1988)) of a President belonging to the majority.