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French FM: France is not ruling out a military strike on Iran
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner maintains that the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) late last week on the Iranian nuclear program and Tehran's "increased cooperation" with the agency does not alter the seriousness with which France views the crisis or its stance on a potential military strike against Iran. The French foreign minister began a tour of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Saturday. In an interview with Haaretz, Kouchner, who along with French President Nicolas Sarkozy is leading the European hard-liners against Iran, described the crisis over Iran's nuclear program "as extremely serious," adding that France "will never compromise on Israel's security." Even though in Tehran the IAEA's report was described as a "political victory" that may prevent the intensifying of international sanctions, Kouchner says that "for now Iran persists in not meeting its international commitments." In an indirect reference to the agency's report, which concluded that Iran is continuing its uranium-enrichment efforts, he says that "in accordance with [United Nations Security Council] Resolution 1747, we have no choice but to make another decision at the Security Council [on imposing new sanctions]." When asked if in light of the Russian and Chinese opposition, a likelihood exists of forcing Iran to abandon its nuclear project without having to use force, Kouchner said: "We have proposed to our European partners to adopt measures against Iran also within the European Union framework, in order to let Iran understand that it cannot continue with its policy of creating faits accomplis." Will France support the use of force by the United States or Israel? Will France be willing to participate in an attack on Iran? Kouchner did not respond directly to the questions but used language that suggests that for France, all options, including that of military force, are open: "I intend to continue with great determination along this path [of pressuring Iran] which is the only way to bring about an agreed solution, the only one that will prevent us from having, one day, to be faced with a dilemma of 'an Iranian bomb or bombing Iran.'" Posted by: ryuge 2007-11-18 |
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