France backed the UN resolution 1511 on Iraq despite reservations because it wanted to show spirit of unity and push forward the stabilization process, French Foreign Minister Dominque de Villepin said in an interview published in Paris Friday.

"In face of the deteriorating violence and terrorism in the region and in a context of extreme tension in the whole of the Middle East, it is important to stake out clearly the unity of the international community," de Villepin told French daily Le Monde.

The new resolution carried "a certain number of progresses" and was a "step in the right direction," said the minister.

He cited the principle of sovereignty transfer, the recognition of the importance of constitutional process, an increased role for the Iraqi Governing Council and the control of the future international force in Iraq by the UN Security Council.

However, he repeated that France was not satisfied with the final text because it contains no deadline for the handover of sovereignty to the Iraqi people and because the role it gives the UN remains limited.

"Why did we agree to overcome our reservations? Because in a context that is ever more difficult we preferred openness and movement. We do not want to block the process," he said.

"The resolution is a first step following which we believe that more steps, which ware indispensable for us, will come," he said.

"But, I say again, this resolution is too timid. It does not reflect the needs in Iraq ... We are not acting as a block, but we are saying to the Americans that it is up to them to move the situation forward," the minister said.

"The temptation for an occupying power is to always consider that a country (like Iraq) is not ready to handle its own fate. We must have the courage to learn from historical lessons," he said.

The UN Security Council on Thursday voted 15-0 to approve Resolution 1511 on Iraq that authorizes a multinational force in the war-torn country.

It underlines that a political transformation period in Iraq should be accelerated as far as possible, but does not give a precise timetable as requested by France, Germany and Russia.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2003)