France Accuses Iran of Making Nuclear Arms

Las Vegas Sun ^ | February 16, 2006 at 16:47:14 PST | JOHN LEICESTER

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

PARIS (AP) -

France accused Iran on Thursday of secretly making nuclear weapons, ditching Europe's traditional diplomatic caution for bluntness that echoed the tough U.S. stance and reflected growing exasperation with Tehran.

Iran quickly denied the allegation by French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, who hardened the line that European negotiators had previously taken in their efforts to persuade Iran to suspend nuclear activities.

"No civilian nuclear program can explain the Iranian nuclear program. It is a clandestine military nuclear program," Douste-Blazy said on France-2 television.

"The international community has sent a very firm message in telling the Iranians to return to reason and suspend all nuclear activity and the enrichment and conversion of uranium, but they aren't listening to us."

Uranium enrichment can produce fuel for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Iran resumed small-scale uranium enrichment last week but insists its nuclear activity is aimed solely at generating electricity.

While the United States has long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, European leaders had been more delicate.

France's Foreign Ministry insisted Douste-Blazy's remarks were in line with the European position on Iran. France, Germany and Britain have been negotiating with Iran, but no other European leader has spoken so frankly.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in contrast to Douste-Blazy's evident frustration, said Thursday she was "very optimistic that we can do everything to solve this conflict with diplomatic means."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw also struck a more cautious note than his French counterpart.

"There are strong suspicions internationally that Iran may be seeking to use its nuclear program in order to develop a nuclear weapons capability," he said Thursday on a visit to Algeria. "We do not have absolute proof, we do not have conclusive evidence of this."

In Washington, the House voted 404-4 on Thursday to approve a non-binding resolution expressing support for efforts to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council. The Senate already approved the symbolic legislation, which imposes no legal consequences on Iran.

The U.N. Security Council will consider Iran's nuclear activities next month. The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions on Iran.

"Now it's up to the Security Council to say what it will do, what means it will use to stop, to manage, to halt this terrible crisis of nuclear proliferation caused by Iran," Douste-Blazy said.

Iran's chief negotiator, Ali Larijani, lashed back.

"I recommend that Mr. Douste-Blazy speak in diplomatic terms and avoid increasing tension," Iranian state-run television quoted him as saying. "The motivation of the French foreign minister behind his new comments is ambiguous to us. But it is in the interests of the region that the West adopts a logical stance toward Iran's nuclear activities."

Georges Le Guelte, a nuclear expert at France's Institute for International and Strategic Research, called Douste-Blazy's statement "remarkable."

"It was not very diplomatic," he said, adding it sent a powerful message to French companies operating in Iran that have pressured the government to remain cautious.

Richard Whitman of the Chatham House think tank in London said Douste-Blazy's comments reflect "a sense of exasperation with the Iranian government."

"All of the doors that were open in terms of negotiations ... are gradually being closed by the Iranians," he said.

So far, the United States, Europe and Russia have stuck together in an effort to pressure Iran.

A senior U.S. State Department official visiting Turkey on Thursday cautioned that Iran's leadership will try to divide the international community. The official, who requested anonymity because his meetings with Turkish officials were ongoing, said for diplomacy to work, countries must quickly send a unified message that Iran is isolated, losing international trust and harming itself.

The next big test comes next week at talks in Moscow on moving Iran's enrichment program to Russia. The proposal is meant to allay fears that Tehran might use the technology to make nuclear arms. Tensions over Iran are likely to diminish if Tehran agrees to the Russian proposal - and balloon if it does not.

Meanwhile, Russia's military chief Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky warned the United States against launching a military strike against Iran, saying "it is hard to predict how the Muslim world will respond."

---

Associated Press reporters Angela Charlton in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran contributed to this report.

--

[kcar]

Meanwhile, Russia's military chief Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky warned the United States against launching a military strike against Iran, saying "it is hard to predict how the Muslim world will respond."

Probably riot, burn flags and effigies and shout bad things about us.

[wingman1]

I say, let the French comprise the first wave.

We'll be right behind.

[pissant]

Except the Iranian people. They will be happier than the Iraqis to get rid of the Mullahs if we take them out.

[jecIIny]

France is in agreement with the United States. Hmmmm. What are we doing wrong?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the ThreatsWatch Blog:

Iran's 'Slower, Please' Russian Talks Renewal
Ahmadinejad praises 'more precious outcomes' than nuclear fuel,
Creates $200M 'Industrial' fund with Venezuela

*************************AN EXCERPT***************************************

By Steve Schippert

In the midst of world doubt over the Iranian nuclear program, Iran’s President Ahmadinejad visited the Natanz nuclear facility south of Tehran, the principal center of Iran’s newly restarted uranium enrichment efforts. While praising the scientists for their nuclear fuel work, Ahmadinejad hinted at their true aim.

“Though your main concern is to produce nuclear fuel, your attempts to this end will result in more precious outcomes.”

These ‘more precious outcomes’ should not be misunderstood to be radiological isotopes for medical usage. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency paraphrased Ahmadinejad, saying that in his speech he ’noted that what the enemies are afraid of is not production of nuclear bomb, given that in the world of today, nuclear weapons are of no use.’ This assertion of uselessness, however, flies in the face of adamant Iranian objection to the Israeli nuclear arsenal neither confirmed nor denied by Tel Aviv.

This as Iran once again makes a reversal on rhetoric, claiming they are indeed now ready to negotiate with Russia on the Russian Proposal, which seeks to lure Iranian enrichment operations onto Russian soil and oversight.

Iranian spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said of Tehran’s earlier decision to disengage from the Russian talks, “Russia’s proposal should be based on policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” adding that chief among those policies include a “determination to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes inside Iranian territory.”

[trubluolyguy]

France accused Iran on Thursday of secretly making nuclear weapons

---

Wow. I stand and stare in awe at the mental giant that is France.


Sheep!

[Renderofveils]

"France's Foreign Ministry insisted Douste-Blazy's remarks were in line with the European position on Iran. France, Germany and Britain have been negotiating with Iran, but no other European leader has spoken so frankly."

Booooo. Bad pun.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

An d the Brits and Germans are still softly speaking.....who would have thunk it?

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Ques que se? No oil pour le cuisine? Votre nukes est histoire!

Semper Fi, frog mofos!

[CFC__VRWC]

France accused Iran on Thursday of secretly making nuclear weapons, ditching Europe's traditional diplomatic caution for bluntness that echoed the tough U.S. stance and reflected growing exasperation with Tehran.

And when the French have had enough of Iran's shenanigans, they'll send them a strongly worded letter begging them to be nice, and they'll send all their white flags out to the dry cleaners so they'll be nice and fresh when surrender time comes.

[VegasVic]

French officials: "Stop! Or we'll say stop again."

[Tai_Chung]

Patton, "I'd rather have a division of French army in front of me than a division of French army behind me"

[wingman1]

Patton, "I'd rather have a division of French army in front of me than a division of French army behind me"

No doubt those would be favorable conditions.

One more thing regarding the French: "Talk's cheap".

[vpintheak]

Big deal, the frogs will just say, "Now stop, or we shall taunt you a second time!"

[MaDeuce]

"Patton, "I'd rather have a division of French army in front of me than a division of French army behind me"

No, no, no, ... he said "I'd rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me".

[speedy]

Booooo. Bad pun.

Now that took a lot of Gaul. Okay, just to be Nice, I'll Cannes the puns.

[xJones]

France is in agreement with the United States. Hmmmm. What are we doing wrong?=

I dunno, it's kind of spooky to see Chirac trying to act like a cowboy. But then, remember, Chirac had a 30 year very lucrative friendship with Saddam. This must mean that the mullahs haven't offered any mega oil contracts to France and hell hath no fury like a shortchanged Chirac.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Few remember that France attacked Germany first, last time around.

[humint]

Georges Le Guelte, a nuclear expert at France's Institute for International and Strategic Research, called Douste-Blazy's statement "remarkable." "It was not very diplomatic," he said, adding it sent a powerful message to French companies operating in Iran that have pressured the government to remain cautious.

Mr. Le Guelte must assume the objective of all diplomacy is to grease the wheels of business. Maybe it is. Douste-Blazy statement takes into account that it is bad for business to end up on the wrong side of an Iranian nuclear weapon. Thank you Douste-Blazy, the truth will set us free.