"There is an alternative to war," said the declaration issued on the first day of the 22nd Africa-France Summit opened here Thursday morning.

"The use of force, which entails serious risks of destabilization of the region, for Africa and the world, should only be a last resort," it noted.

The declaration reasserted that the disarmament of Iraq is the shared goal of the international community, and the only legitimate framework for handling this issue is the United Nations.

Usually held behind closed-door and without pre-set agenda, the Africa-France summit seldom issued any declaration since its first meeting in 1973.

However, diplomats here said Wednesday that after a preparatory ministerial meeting, all participants had reached consensus supporting France's position on Iraq and hinted a joint declaration in the coming days.

In the declaration, African countries and France reaffirmed their support to UN chief arms inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammed El Baradei.

It called for "substantial enhancement of their human and technical capacities, within the framework of UN Resolution 1441, whose possibilities have not yet been entirely exhausted."

Also on Thursday, a statement issued from Annan's spokesman office in New York said that the UN chief has decided to extend the mandate for Hans Blix, head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, till at least the end of this year.

Blix served his three-year term from March 1, 2000 and his presidency is due to expire on Feb. 28.

Consolidating the anti-war camp on the Iraqi issue, the African-French declaration came as a sharp contrast against remarks by US Secretary of State Colin Powell who told a German television Thursday that time is running out for Iraq and a new resolution drafted by Washington and London will be put for UN Security Council next week.

Unlike the United States and Britain, France insists that the UN weapon inspectors should be allowed to fulfill their mission in Iraq and opposes any military intervention without a UN mandate, an approach widely-shared in the UN Security Council.

Three African nations are now non-permanent members of the UN Security Council: Cameroon, Angola and Guinea, with Guinea, whose population is mainly Muslim, chairing the council for one month starting from March 1.

This year's Africa-France summit is the largest of its kind since 1973, with 43 of the 52 African delegations led by heads of state and government.

Addressing the opening session of the summit on Thursday, Chirac called for renewed political and economic partnership with Africa, saying that the choice of France reflects the principles of the country's foreign policy.

With the theme of "Together in New Partnership," the summit focuses on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), an economic rescue plan conceived and developed by African leaders, which targets 7 percent growth in the next 15 years.

NEPAD has provided an opportunity to renew France's commitment to stand alongside the peoples of Africa, and to affirm solemnly the community of destiny, Chirac said.

He promised that France will increase its official development aid to Africa by half in the next five years, rising to 0.5 percent of the country's GNP.

Also top on the agenda includes the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, where the civil war not only ravaged the country's economy, but also threatened peace and stability in the region.

Chirac said that since a basis for national reconciliation has been laid, it is up to all Cote d'Ivoire people to work with determination to bring peace to the nation. He called on all sides concerned to respect their undertakings.

Also addressing the opening session, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all political leaders in Cote d'Ivoire to respect a French-brokered peace deal reached here last month to end the five-month civil war in their country.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Cote d'Ivoire government spokesman Alain Toussaint said Thursday that a new government is likely to be formed in the country in the next four days.

"We are expecting the newly-appointed premier to form a new government in four days from today," he said on the sideline of the summit.

His words were confirmed by Cote d'Ivoire Premier Seydou Diarra, who said here Thursday that he expects to set up a government of unity with rebel forces and opposition political parties "in coming days."

The issues to be discussed at the summit are grouped under three general headings: peace and security, development, and responses to the major challenges facing the world today such as terrorism, organized crime and environmental problems.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2003)