French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Thursday rejected a renewed US appeal for more international military support for Iraq, saying that sending in French troops would only prolong a tense situation.

De Villepin also said the deaths Tuesday of Saddam Hussein's sons, Odai and Qusai, signaled "the end of an era" but warned they could spark more resistance from some Iraqis who might try to "avenge" the two sons.

"To build on a system that now exists (and) to add foreign forces to the coalition forces doesn't appear to us the best way to guarantee security in Iraq," de Villepin told France-Inter radio.

Before taking part in postwar Iraq, de Villepin said France wanted the United Nations take a larger role in reconstruction and stabilization.

"Only the United Nations can bring the guarantees of reconstruction necessary for the full international community to take part," de Villepin said. "Reconstructing Iraq is not easy."

Franco-US relations have been on rocky footing since they parted diplomatic ways over how to deal with Iraq's refusal to fully cooperate with UN weapons inspectors. Over French pleas for restraint, the United States went to war in March and toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

In an address at the White House on Wednesday, Bush said 19 nations were providing more than 13,000 troops to help stabilize the country. He urged other nation to join in the effort.

France, Germany and India have refused the US request to provide troops in Iraq unless there is a UN mandate.

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