Free Republic

Imagine a world in which the Middle East is not descending into carnage and chaos but is on the brink of monumental breakthroughs. In this world in spring 2014, Iran's nuclear program has been secured and Egypt has become a liberal democracy. Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has stepped aside. And Israelis and Palestinians have settled on the terms for a Palestinian state. This is the world that John Kerry inhabited as he shuttled across the world last week: a fantastical realm created by his billowing vision of what he can accomplish as secretary of State. Meanwhile, on this planet, aid...

President Obama’s foreign policy record remains intact. Across the world from which he is withdrawing American power and influence, governments are recognizing that where once a superpower resided, now only a shadow remains. First it was left to the Communist Chinese to admonish us against spending too much. Then they began a campaign to replace the dollar as the reserve currency of the world. The French led us into Libya because they needed to protect their oil interests there. Then Vladimir Putin bamboozled Obama into an agreement on Syria which goes against America interests by enabling Assad to remain in...

After negotiating with help of US secretary of state, French FM stresses importance of Israel's security concerns, says there will be no deal; US diplomats tell 'LA Times' talks will continue at least into next week. France said on Saturday there was no certainty nuclear talks under way with Iran in Geneva would succeed because of major stumbling blocks over an initial proposed text on a deal, and the importance of Israel's security concerns. "As I speak to you, I cannot say there is any certainty that we can conclude" the talks, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on France...

A trilateral meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jazad Zarif was underway Saturday evening in Geneva on the contents of a draft agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. A senior member of the Iranian negotiations team told reporters Saturday that a draft agreement has been prepared and would be considered by all sides during the meeting. “The text of the draft agreement has been prepared and initial negotiations [over it] will take place in a trilateral meeting among Zarif, Kerry and Ashton,” Majid Takht Ravanchi was quoted as...

Two senior Iranian MPs accused French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius Saturday of defending Israel, which objects to world powers reaching a deal with Tehran over its controversial nuclear programme. Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said "the behaviour of the French representative in the nuclear talks shows that France is trying to blackmail" Iran. "While the French people want better ties between Tehran and Paris, unfortunately the French government prefers the will of Zionist regime," said Naqavi Hosseini. Esmaeel Kosari, a fellow conservative and member of the committee, expressed regret that Fabius's comments "express the positions...

With a fevered and frantic breathless pace, Obama via John Kerry has been pushing to sign a sell-out deal with Iran that would ease sanctions without shutting down Iran’s nuke program. Benjamin Netanyahu was furious when he found out that Kerry had misrepresented what the proposed agreement would be, not to mention Kerry running at the mouth to bash Israel on the talks with the Palestinians. Netanyahu was not alone. France was uncomfortable with the deal Kerry wanted to sign, even as Kerry huddled with the Iranians trying to get ‘er done.(VIDEO-AT-LINK) Thank you France for at least buying us...

When Iran appeared close to a preliminary deal with world powers over its nuclear program, France stepped up to say: Not so fast—a surprise move that exposed divisions among the United States and other Western negotiators who had long been in lockstep on the issue. France, analysts say, was motivated by factors including its tough stand against the spread of nuclear weapons, skepticism about Tehran’s trustworthiness, and the longstanding French tradition of speaking out on the world stage. Critics faulted France for alleged grandstanding and seeking closer ties with Iran’s foes. … After the failure of European-led talks with Iran...

Talks in Geneva between world powers and Iran ended late Saturday night without a deal, after hitting a snag earlier in the day when France questioned the terms of a proposed agreement. Chances of bridging all differences appeared to diminish as the day went on, but efforts continued. The foreign ministers of the seven delegations discussing Iran held a last-ditch meeting late Saturday, and were later joined by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an apparent effort to salvage the talks. Earlier Saturday, Zarif said talks would resume within seven to 10 days, if an agreement would not be...

Iranian TV condemned France saying they were 'Israel's representatives'Talks on Iran's nuclear programme collapse at the eleventh hour after France says it will not be forced into a 'sucker's deal' Foreign minister Laurent Fabius objected to points in the agreement Complained it did not go far enough to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions Talks will resume on November 20 in an attempt to reach a compromise Iranian TV condemned France saying they were 'Israel's representatives' Marathon talks on a deal to temporarily curb Iran's nuclear program have broken down after a negotiations between foreign ministers ran into trouble late last...

LUXEMBOURG: France called in the US ambassador on Monday to protest at allegations in Le Monde newspaper about large-scale spying on French citizens by the US National Security Agency, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said. "I have immediately summoned the US ambassador and he will be received this morning at the Quai d'Orsay (the French Foreign Ministry)," Fabius told reporters at a European Union foreign ministers' meeeting in Luxembourg.

Davutoglu and Fabius called the chemical attack a "crime against humanity", stressing the need for an urgent inspection on the attack by the UN officials, who are still in Damascus Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held a phone conversation on Friday with the French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius regarding a recent claim of use of chemical weapons in Syria. Turkish diplomatic sources told the Anadolu Agency that the two top diplomats discussed mainly Wednesday's chemical weapons attack on the suburbs of the Syrian capital of Damascus that killed at least 1,300 civilians. Both stressed that the attack was a "crime...

World leaders weigh in after Egypt's army commander announces that president had been removed The Egyptian army's suspension of the constitution and removal of President Mohamed Morsi has drawn mixed responses from world leaders: European Union The EU has called for a rapid return to democracy in Egypt. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said: "I urge all sides to rapidly return to the democratic process, including the holding of free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections and the approval of a constitution, to be done in a fully inclusive manner, so as to permit the country to resume and...

The president of the Central African Republic has fled the country's capital and rebels have seized control of the city, a government official said Sunday. President Francois Bozize crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo, said Jules Gautier Ngbapo, a spokesman for the government's territorial administration minister. He declined to disclose Bozize's location Sunday. "Central Africans are waiting for the new president to be named," Ngbapo said in a written statement. Word of Bozize's surprise departure came as violence erupted in the capital, Bangui. Witnesses reported hours of gunfire, and Ngbapo said at least seven civilians were killed as rebels...