Posted on 09/05/2008 12:25:46 AM PDT by Cincinna
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, warned Iran on Thursday that it was taking a big risk by seeking to obtain a military nuclear capability, saying that one day it could find Israel had decided to attack.
In one of the most explicit warnings to Tehran by a western leader, Mr Sarkozy said: “One day, whatever the Israeli government, we could find one morning that Israel has struck.
“The question is not whether it would be legitimate, whether it would be intelligent. What will we do at that moment? It would be a catastrophe. We must avoid that catastrophe.”
Iran insists it is pursuing a civilian programme, but western powers suspect it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Israel has not ruled out military action against Iran if the crisis over its nuclear programme is not resolved, and in June tension in-creased with further military exercises by the Jewish state seen by some as a warning to Tehran.
Israel is the only Middle Eastern state thought to possess a military nuclear capability, although it does not publicly acknowledge the fact.
Mr Sarkozy was speaking at a summit in Damascus with Bashar al-Assad, his Syrian counterpart, and the leaders of Turkey and Qatar. Syria is an ally of Iran and Mr Sarkozy has asked Mr Assad to help to resolve the stand-off between Iran and the west.
“The United States knows the role Syria can play,” Mr Sarkozy said. “Syria can play a major role on this issue.”
The summit marked a coup for Mr Assad as Syria is gradually welcomed back into the international fold, but Washington still treats the Arab state as a pariah. Observers also doubt the extent of influence Syria has with Iran, and relations between Damascus and Tehran have suffered as the result of Syria’s decision to enter indirect peace talks with Israel, diplomats say.
Mr Assad said Damascus had submitted proposals to Turkish mediators that could form the basis for Syria’s first direct negotiations with Israel for eight years.
A fifth round of indirect talks between the two nations had been postponed, he said, following the resignation of an Israeli negotiator in the wake of the decision by Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, to step down later this month amid corruption charges.
Turkey said those talks would resume this month. But any direct negotiations would not take place until after US elections and once Mr Olmert’s successor had been chosen.
The last direct talks between the two collapsed in 2000 after they failed to agree how far Israel should withdraw from the Golan Heights, territory occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
Sarko steps up to the plate and reads the riot act to Iran.
What a wonderful working team Sarko and McCain will be in the fight against Islamo-Fascism.
“One day, whatever the Israeli government, we could find one morning that Israel has struck.
“The question is not whether it would be legitimate, whether it would be intelligent. What will we do at that moment? It would be a catastrophe. We must avoid that catastrophe.”
That just sounds to me like Sarkozy prepping the French for the event. That's not anything the Iranians are going to pay much attention to.
Israel hasn't even held direct talks with Syria since 2000.
yitbos
Sarko is one tough and very smart dude. The mullahs should listen.
With the Iranian government controlling most of the media in the country, about the only thing the average Iranian will be able to hear is that the President of France threatened Iran with an attack by Israel, without any of the details.
That's re-assuring. I'm interested in seeing/learning more on how McCain will handle foreign policy with emphasis on the ME and Asia. I'll be reading as much as I can on these threads.
Glad I'm not making the calls in that arena. Yet I think that McCain will have sufficient experience and a good group of advisors to assist him.
Meanwhile, we don't hear to much from John Kerry's friend Jacque Chirac. Chirac was one of the many world leaders that voted for Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. Chirac is expected to soon announce his endorsement for Obama.
Thanks Cincinna.
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