Connect these dots. First dot.

FRANCE COOL TO U.S. PRESSURE TO CUT BANK TIES TO IRAN

September 13, 2006 (Bloomberg) - France, whose lenders account for 24 percent of bank loans to Iran, may reject a U.S. campaign to sever financial ties with the Middle Eastern nation.

"We generally prefer measures that are decided in the framework of the United Nations, or the European Union,'' said Jean Baptiste Mattei, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry. "We have never liked unilateral sanctions.''

Stuart Levey, the U.S. Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, is touring Europe this week to persuade government and business leaders in France, U.K., Switzerland and Italy to help crack down on funds used by Iran and other countries to support terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

No French bank has publicly disclosed restrictions on business in Iran. French banks in 2005 accounted for $5.9 billion of the $25.4 billion in loans made to Iran by lenders reporting to the Bank for International Settlements based in Berne, Switzerland.

"France has a very robust and strong relationship with Iran, which serves as one of the pillars of the Iranian regime,'' said Adam Pener, chief operation officer of the Washington-based Conflict Securities Advisory Group Inc., which tracks companies' connections to state-funded terrorist groups.

PLAYING THE FOOL
France Throws In With The Iranians, Hopes For The Best

Next dot.

FRANCE WARNS OF INTERNATIONAL SPLIT OVER IRAN

VIENNA September 14, 2006 (AFP) - Iran on Thursday called on the United States to be patient in the standoff over its nuclear activities and said negotiations should begin without preconditions and delay.

Yet UNSCR 1669 sets forth the precondition -- a demand -- that the Iranians halt uranium enrichment. It is in the very title of the resolution:

SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS IRAN
SUSPEND URANIUM ENRICHMENT BY 31 AUGUST, OR
FACE POSSIBLE ECONOMIC, DIPLOMATIC SANCTIONS.

Ah, but France, like Iran, knows UNSCRs are so much paper.

But French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy* warned that Iran was trying to divide the international community in order to pursue its uranium enrichment activities, referring to the process which makes nuclear reactor fuel but also atom bomb material.

"If the international community were to become divided, Iran would continue" its enrichment work, Douste-Blazy charged in an interview to appear in the French weekly Valeurs Actuelles.

Yes, M. Douste-Blazy would prefer the international community remain united while Iran continues its enrichment work. It makes for fewer hard questions at news conference.

Third dot.

IRAN, FRANCE TO SIGN $2.7B GAS DEAL WEDNESDAY

TEHRAN September 17, 2006 (MNA) – Despite the U.S. sanctions and business restriction on Iran, the coming Wednesday is to witness the inking of a finance agreement between National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and French Societe General Bank for development plans in oil- and gas-rich southern Iran.

The $2.7b figure is going to finance the development projects at phases 17 and 18 of the South Pars Oil and Gas Field and the capital return will be satisfied by the revenues coming from gas and condensate sales.

Fourth dot.

CHIRAC SAYS THREAT OF SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN SHOULD BE LIFTED

PARIS September 18, 2006 (IHT/AP) - French President Jacques Chirac suggested Monday that the international community suspend the threat of U.N. sanctions in exchange for Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment during negotiations.

"I am not pessimistic," Chirac said. "I think that Iran is a great nation, an old culture, an old civilization, and that we can find solutions through dialogue."

This is more of the same deft diplomacy France has promoted to no effect in bringing Iran's uranium enrichment to a halt. We would also remind Jack that it is Mr. Ahmadinejad with whom he is dealing, not Cyrus the Great.

If you have properly connected your dots, it is not Iran that seeks to split the international community. It is France.

* The dimmest bulb in the dark Chirac marquee™.

PFFT (What is this?): Making the world safe 0 | Making the world safe for France 0 | Jacking up the bottom line 5 | Rayonnement français 0