The conversation took more than an hour, with many questions. But at one point Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French foreign minister, spoke up: "Allow me to recall here, the United States, they are our friends and our allies." Other ministers offered only heavily veiled criticisms, leavened with praise for Rice, U.S. and foreign officials said.
Other ministers offered only heavily veiled criticisms, leavened with praise for Rice, U.S. and foreign officials said.
