| "Really. Would we sell you out?" |
"Without abandoning the demand to suspend sensitive activities, France is also ready to renew dialogue. But it must be a clear, concrete and responsible dialogue. We want this dialogue quickly, with a desire for serious discussion and with the concern to finally find solutions to the Iranian nuclear problem."The UN Security Council has given Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities -- which Tehran says is part of a civilian nuclear programme -- or face the threat of sanctions. A package of incentives backed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China -- plus Germany is dependent on Tehran first agreeing to suspend enrichment. Few details have emerged of Iran's response to the package but the United States has already warned it would lead moves to impose sanctions if the reply fell short of Security Council demands.
"At the moment, Tehran's response to proposals from the international community is not satisfactory," Douste-Blazy said. "It remains ambiguous and seems to continue to ignore the essential question of sensitive nuclear activities, that is to say enrichment and reprocessing. This move is essential to re-establish confidence between all the parties to the negotiations," he told the ambassadors at their annual meeting in Paris.