Communiqué from the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs: IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear program
Japan
Meeting of the Special Representatives for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Iraq/ Syria
France/ Middle East
Communiqué from the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs: IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear program
We would like to pay tribute to the work carried out by IAEA; we hope that all of its assessments will prove useful to the international community.
France is very concerned by the information contained in the IAEA Director General’s report on Iran’s nuclear program.
The report again highlights that Iran is continuing to build stocks of low-enrichment uranium and to install a large number of centrifuges, in violation of the Security Council resolutions.
The report also condemns the Iranian authorities’ continued refusal to respond to IAEA’s numerous questions, which have been extensively outlined in the report, concerning potential activities linked to the design and manufacture of nuclear weapons.
The IAEA considers the information it has on this issue to be consistent, complete and detailed enough to justify demanding a response from Iran concerning the doubts that have arisen about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
Lastly, the report states that Iran is restricting the IAEA’s verification capacity by not implementing the additional protocol or complying with its obligations to declare its planned nuclear facilities.
We have made multiple offers of dialogue and negotiation with Iran. The United States has made a major gesture of openness towards Iran by proposing to establish direct contact. We are again calling on Iran to recognize the significance of these gestures and to agree to begin serious negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Otherwise, in accordance with the two-pronged approach combining dialogue and firmness promoted by the Six, we will have no other choice but to seek a very substantial strengthening of sanctions.
We hope that Iran will quickly choose cooperation instead of isolation.
Q - The German government said that the representatives of the Six would meet this week in Germany. Can you tell us more about this meeting? Who will participate and where will it take place?
The new Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Jacques Audibert, will represent France at this meeting which will take place in Frankfurt to prepare, in the E3+3 format, for the next meetings which will take place in September in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Japan
France congratulates Mr. Hatoyama, president of the Democratic Party of Japan, who won the general election. Japan is a major democracy in Asia and the second largest world economy; it is a key partner of France with which it has a relationship based on trust.
In 2008, our two countries celebrated 150 years of diplomatic relations. They have established ties in many areas, from science to arts, and economy to culture. In view of their common responsibilities they face the major challenges of the modern world together.
France will work with the new Japanese government to expand bilateral relations and to seek solutions to the major global challenges.
Meeting of the Special Representatives for Afghanistan and Pakistan
The meeting of the Special Representatives for Afghanistan and Pakistan which will take place on Wednesday, September 2 in Paris is the group’s sixth meeting since it was formed.
It will bring together 27 special representatives, including the French representative, Thierry Mariani, as well as the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, and will be specifically devoted to the situation in Afghanistan.
It is taking place on the eve of the announcement of the initial overall results – which are not final since they are subject to appeal – of the first round of the presidential election on August 20.
Despite the threats that were made and the violence, Afghan participation in the elections is a sign of the Afghan people’s willingness to take control of their own destiny.
The goal of the meeting on September 2 is to examine how the international community can be of most use to the actions of the next Afghan government.
Iraq/ Syria
Q - What is your reaction to the crisis between Damascus and Baghdad? France has repeatedly, after each attack, confirmed its complete solidarity with the Iraqi government and people in their fight against terrorism. Within the framework of your relations with Syria, will you ask Damascus to respond positively to the demands of the Iraqi government?
We hope that Syria and Iraq will resume normal relations as soon as possible and that they will continue the rapprochement initiatives that they have successfully introduced over the last few months, thanks in particular to the reciprocal high-level visits.
France/ Middle East
Q - Bernard Kouchner announced during the conclusion of the Ambassadors’ Conference that France will get out of the Middle East trap and that it would start to provide ideas and take initiatives. Does that mean that France will initiate a new type of diplomacy in the region? Are the priorities that we have had since 2007 going to change?
Bernard Kouchner reaffirmed in particular that our priority remains the urgent resumption of the peace process, with the prospect of the creation of an independent, viable Palestinian State living in peace and security alongside Israel.
We are convinced that an international initiative bringing together the actors concerned at the highest level could help to set the true dynamics of peace in motion.
With this goal in mind, we are continuing to have close consultations with the main countries of the region, in particular with Egypt, as well as with the United States and our other partners./.