French President Says “Danger Of War” Exists With Iran
“Everyone agrees on the fact that what the Iranians are doing has no civilian explanation,” Sarkozy said, referring to Tehran’s uranium enrichment work. “The only debate is about whether they will develop a military capacity in one or five years.”
French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned of a risk of a war with Iran if Israel considered its security seriously threatened by Tehran’s nuclear drive in a magazine interview to be published Thursday.
Sarkozy also said he was ready to travel to Tehran to discuss a civilian nuclear partnership if the country steps up its cooperation with the UN atomic watchdog.
“The problem for us is not so much the risk that the Americans launch a military intervention, but that the Israelis consider their security to be truly threatened,” Sarkozy told Le Nouvel Observateur.
“Everyone agrees on the fact that what the Iranians are doing has no civilian explanation,” Sarkozy said, referring to Tehran’s uranium enrichment work. “The only debate is about whether they will develop a military capacity in one or five years.”
Israel considers Iran its number one enemy following repeated calls by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the Jewish state to be wiped off the map.
“The danger of a war exists,” said the French president, who insisted he had “never been in favour of war.”
Sarkozy held out the prospect of a nuclear partnership with Tehran if it improved its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying he had the “trust of the Israelis and the Americans” on the matter.
“If Iran allows the IAEA to carry out its checks, I would be ready to travel to Tehran to discuss a collaboration on civilian nuclear energy,” he said.
The Vienna-based watchdog said last month that Iran had taken important steps in revealing the extent of its nuclear programme but was still defying UN demands that it suspend uranium enrichment.
An IAEA delegation arrived in Tehran Sunday to tackle outstanding questions over its nuclear programme.
France has also toughened its line on Iran since Sarkozy’s election in May, and is now much closer to that of the United States.
Sarkozy has said a new UN resolution boosting sanctions against Iran is still justified despite the US report.
But he also insisted in the interview that “the Americans are not, in this case, warmongers.”
The United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China had been working on a new UN Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran’s enrichment programme when the US report was released.
(AP)
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“prout” (=fart)
I am fed up with this serie,
wether we consider Iran as a real ennemi,
wether Iran is not our real ennemi,
then it’s Saudi, who, in that story, is the most afraid of a nuclear Iran, and pushs his/her alliees to smash Iran
December 12th, 2007 at 5:34 pmHey Franchie,
So you’re saying that the house of Saud and Israel have a common interest? Something they could get together over coffee or tea and discuss?!?! I see that as nothing but a good thing. Kinda throws Israel in a good light in the Arab world, I’d say it’s about time common interests were discussed instead of mutual destruction. ya gotta love that no nonsense plain talkin’ French President! Viva La Sarko!!!!
December 12th, 2007 at 5:46 pmMaybe a good strategy now is pull all arms support from the Middleast except for Israel. Watch how fast the Saudis come calling for back-up when they realize that the Persians may be putting them in their nuclear sights. Hell a good war of decimation between Iran and Saudi Arabia might not be a bad thing.
December 12th, 2007 at 5:51 pm“Hell a good war of decimation between Iran and Saudi Arabia might not be a bad thing.”
I think so,
they are antagonists as far their religious beliefs are concerned, they are concurrents for the energy supply, they both finance terrorism, but with different goals, ; one could say that Iran operates in a temporal world, and Saudi in the 72 virgins world.
if there weren’t the mullahcraty, Iran is quite an educated country ; can’t say so about the Saudi, or if they are, their biased side is prevalent
so if the both want to use their mighty arms, let them do ; I bet that will change the ME face
hi Tedders, still in Tennessee ?
I am not worried for Israel, they got all the Bombs that count, plus since ages, persians weren’t their ennemies, but their other neighbours, yes
December 13th, 2007 at 3:05 amWhat good is having France on our side?
“I’d rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me.”
- Gen. George S. Patton
P.S.:
Vichy, is your carrier out of drydock yet?
December 13th, 2007 at 5:47 amTic tic & colegram, 1, 2, 3… Boom
What good is the irish stew on the other side ?
VTFFC (vas te faire foutre connard)
December 13th, 2007 at 7:46 amNot to barge in on your little cat fight, but franchie, I think ticticboom might be partially right …
Pres. Sarko is sort of like Pres. Bush … but without the military “fortitude” behind him. Not only that but, as so many like to point out, our country is allegedly split almost down the middle on the Iraq war … But that’s STILL a hell of a lot of support. Not sure France has that amount of “fight” in their bellies.
Having said that, I hope Sarko stays strong and resolute … and safe.
December 13th, 2007 at 8:31 amdrillanwr
unfortunately the MSM foccuse too much on us,
we are only a country that does not count more than the California state (PNB results, number of inhabitants, wideneth…)
we are one of the 27 seven states of EU, but your medias always foccuse on us
Not sure France has that amount of “fight” in their bellies.
well ask our militaries, whatever they are sent, they don’t pass their time to play balls, some African countries can witness it ;
yeah, we are not in Irak from the beginnings, that was not because we didn’t want to fight there, but more because the political analyse that was made at that time (not only by France), was advocating that the terrorism battle had nothing to do with Saddam, but more with Afghanistan (where we are since 2003)
December 13th, 2007 at 8:57 amhey tictic– “vas te faire foutre connard” roughly translated, means “go f–k yourself asshole”. Sorry franchie–you’re not the only bilingual “connard” reading this…I lived in France for a year when I was in college.
tictic, you may want to respond with “je te nique” or “je t’encule, salop”…
just thought I’d help an American brother out…
December 13th, 2007 at 9:28 am@tom:
Thanks, brother. I’ve picked up profanity in a few languages, and I’m always looking to learn more.
@Vichy:
Pogue mahone and chinga tu madre, shiessekopf!
You didn’t answer my question about your (lone) carrier.
December 13th, 2007 at 9:38 amI do like what i hear from the new French Prez. However, given French history, I would not want to depend on their assistance when it comes time for real men and nations to step up to the plate when things get tough.
December 13th, 2007 at 9:42 amanytime, tictic. roger that. for the record,
for Sarkozy, the first frenchie to grow a pair of “cacahouettes” since Degaulle…
December 13th, 2007 at 9:46 amtit tit hopla !
verdammter scheinehund, my carrier te proute
December 13th, 2007 at 10:13 amtom, peut-être que vos cacahouettes sont tellement petites que vous avez besoin de canons pour les montrer ; on ne peut pas dire que vous êtes les meilleurs en combat rapproché
December 13th, 2007 at 10:27 amFranchie, je n’ai dit rien a toi…en effet, je defendais tictic parce-qu’il ne parle pas francais, et moi je defenderais toujours un autre Americain contre n’importe qui.
Par contre, je disais simplement que j’admirais beaucoup Sarko, parce-que c’est le President le plus courageux en France dans une siecle. C’est tous. En plus, j’admire beaucoup ton pays et ses citoyennes, et j’ai plein des beau memoires de mon sejour la-dedans…
Donc, si t’as envie de m’engager dans une autre discours, allons-y, mon pot…
December 13th, 2007 at 10:45 amtom
c’est pas à ton pote que tu as affaire, mais à ma pote ;
pour ce qui est des couilles, tu sembles oublier qu’il en a fallu une belle paire à Chirac pour oser dire “non” au grand manitou, alors que Sarko, il ne fait que vous passer la brosse à reluire, et ça je peux le faire aussi ;
sinon, je n’ai rien contre toi, si tu veux m’allumer, ben je ne surrendrais pas et t’auras droit à ma verve vocaburlesque
December 13th, 2007 at 10:55 amCome on you guys, English for us unilingual types!!
vous parlez anglais?
Yes, still in Memphis, for some reason I can’t post on your blog from my laptop but I’m visiting there. : )
December 13th, 2007 at 6:35 pmyou nead to make a change in your safari program, look into your explanations book
hey, don’t worry, these bickerings are just laugh kiddings
December 14th, 2007 at 10:27 amAh yes, the Safari thing again! Good advice nomad!!
feliz navidad Nomad!!!!
December 14th, 2007 at 7:43 pmjoyeux Noël too
December 15th, 2007 at 2:44 am