Srinivas
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France seeks India's support on Iran nuclear deal
NEW DELHI: In the crosshairs of international criticism for allegedly pulling the plug on a deal with Iran, France says it is looking for a "credible" agreement. With the next meeting between Iran and the P5+1 slated to be held in Geneva on November 20, France says it is looking for a "credible" agreement.
France's ambassador to India, Francois Richier, told TOI that Paris "has an independent position" on the issue. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius raised two important points that proved to be the killed in this round: future of the Arak heavy water reactor and the fate of the existing enriched uranium stockpile that Tehran has collected so far.
However, the negotiating document in Geneva remains "live". That means there are areas of agreement and some areas of contention. Countering suggestions that France was taking an anti-Iranian position, Richier pointed out it was "French president Francois Hollande who was the first Western head of state to meet new Iranian PM, Hassan Rouhani, before the telephonic conversation with Barack Obama".
While the deal did not happen, reports from Geneva suggest it involved Iran suspending some parts of its nuclear programme in lieu of some relief in sanctions. The Western sanctions against the Iranian energy industry have crippled its economy. Coupled with the burdens of the Syrian war and growing social problems, Iran, many say, is ripe for a deal.
France, Richier said, is looking for support from India. In Tehran, the emerging deal has been greeted with as much skepticism as it has in much of the US and the European Union (EU). Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted on Sunday, "French officials have been openly hostile towards the Iranian nation over the past few years; this is an imprudent and inept move."
Richier, before coming out to India as envoy, has dealt closely with the Iranian nuclear issue for close to a decade, including participating in the earlier round of negotiations (2003-05), when Hassan Rouhani, Iran's present PM was the lead negotiator, and Javad Zarif, currently foreign minister, was part of the delegation.
France has taken a lot of Western criticism for their action. In the past decade, France objected to George Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and this time has stalled the rush to peace by Barack Obama.
US secretary of state John Kerry presented a united front. Richier added neither the US nor the EU poses any "hurdle". In Abu Dhabi, Kerry said, ""The P5+1 was unified on Saturday when we presented our proposal to the Iranians... But Iran couldn't take it, at that particular moment they weren't able to accept."
@SOHEIL @haman10
France seeks India's support on Iran nuclear deal - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: In the crosshairs of international criticism for allegedly pulling the plug on a deal with Iran, France says it is looking for a "credible" agreement. With the next meeting between Iran and the P5+1 slated to be held in Geneva on November 20, France says it is looking for a "credible" agreement.
France's ambassador to India, Francois Richier, told TOI that Paris "has an independent position" on the issue. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius raised two important points that proved to be the killed in this round: future of the Arak heavy water reactor and the fate of the existing enriched uranium stockpile that Tehran has collected so far.
However, the negotiating document in Geneva remains "live". That means there are areas of agreement and some areas of contention. Countering suggestions that France was taking an anti-Iranian position, Richier pointed out it was "French president Francois Hollande who was the first Western head of state to meet new Iranian PM, Hassan Rouhani, before the telephonic conversation with Barack Obama".
While the deal did not happen, reports from Geneva suggest it involved Iran suspending some parts of its nuclear programme in lieu of some relief in sanctions. The Western sanctions against the Iranian energy industry have crippled its economy. Coupled with the burdens of the Syrian war and growing social problems, Iran, many say, is ripe for a deal.
France, Richier said, is looking for support from India. In Tehran, the emerging deal has been greeted with as much skepticism as it has in much of the US and the European Union (EU). Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted on Sunday, "French officials have been openly hostile towards the Iranian nation over the past few years; this is an imprudent and inept move."
Richier, before coming out to India as envoy, has dealt closely with the Iranian nuclear issue for close to a decade, including participating in the earlier round of negotiations (2003-05), when Hassan Rouhani, Iran's present PM was the lead negotiator, and Javad Zarif, currently foreign minister, was part of the delegation.
France has taken a lot of Western criticism for their action. In the past decade, France objected to George Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and this time has stalled the rush to peace by Barack Obama.
US secretary of state John Kerry presented a united front. Richier added neither the US nor the EU poses any "hurdle". In Abu Dhabi, Kerry said, ""The P5+1 was unified on Saturday when we presented our proposal to the Iranians... But Iran couldn't take it, at that particular moment they weren't able to accept."
@SOHEIL @haman10
France seeks India's support on Iran nuclear deal - The Times of India
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