"There was no verified link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's regime, no terrorism before the regime fell," de Villepin told a Paris conference of diplomats, scientists and businessmen focusing on religion and politics in Asia.

"And yet, afterwards, there has been an explosion (of terrorism), an increase in opportunities (of attacks) and a more fragile situation," he said.

His comments were likely to rile White House officials who partly justified the war by claiming that Saddam had ties to al-Qaeda.

They have also since denied that Iraq has descended into chaos and insisted that the country has become the frontline in their war against terrorism launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.

The UN Security Council is currently examining a draft resolution by the United States which calls for other countries to provide military and financial support for its increasingly violent occupation, in return for a promise that Iraq would return to self-rule "quickly".

In his speech, de Villepin said that Paris was not going to withdraw its attention from the Middle East.

"We must make sure that each crisis on the international stage is well looked after, which explains the French position which strongly believes that, rather than treat the Iraqi crisis urgently and hastily, it would be better to first tackle a settlement of the Palestinian conflict," he said.

On Islam, de Villepin said: "We must try to avoid mixing everything together, because that leads to clashes and breaks. Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. The overwhelming majority of its followers hold close its values. But no religion is safe from fundamentalist currents."