[NYTr] Iran Dismisses French FM Remarks; Russia Blasts Sanctions on Iran
 
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:12:57 -0500 (CDT)

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Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Iran Dismisses French FM Remarks

Tehran, Sep 18 (Prensa Latina) President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadineyad dismissed the threats issued by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner regarding Iran"s nuclear program.

"These media declarations do not square with the truth, and therefore, we do not take them seriously," he said in remarks to IRNA news agency on Tuesday.

Ahmadineyad described the remarks as provocative and said they "affect the credibility of France before world public opinion," especially in the Middle East.

Referring to the Iranian nuclear issue recently, Koucher said it was necessary to show strength, so that the Islamic Republic stops enriching uranium and prepare "for the worst, that is war." "We won"t accept another nuclear bomb in this dangerous area of the world," he added.

These remarks triggered adverse opinions in different parts of the world, including French leftwing sectors and former conservative Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.

However, Kouchner told French Le Monde daily that his remarks were "a
message of peace." 

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Russia Criticizes Sanctions on Iran

Moscow, Sep 18 (Prensa Latina) Russian Foreign Minister Seguei Lavrov criticized US and European Union unilateral reprisals against Iran, on Tuesday, basing his criticism on international law.

If we agreed to work together, and expressed the agreement in resolutions approved by consensus in the UN Security Council, what is the objective of unilateral sanctions, the chief of Kremlin diplomacy asked.

Expressing concern about growing rumors of a military action, he recalled the part of the agreement that contemplated dialogue with that country's authorities about the nuclear issue, security, economy, and trade.

Moscow continues defending the opinion previously agreed upon, that it was necessary to involve the Security Council, beyond its support to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the diplomat said.

In this respect, Lavrov stressed the satisfaction recently expressed by the IAEA regarding fulfillment of the agreements by Iran.

The Iraqi experience shows that it is dangerous to ignore professional assessments, Lavrov concluded.

hr ccs iom jpm

PL-44

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