Such is France's reputation for stewardship that the Iranians are willing to proceed with weaponizing uranium with French oversight.
IRAN PROPOSES TO FRANCE
THE CREATION OF AN URANIUM ENRICHING FIRM
PARIS October 3, 2006 (IPS) - Iran has proposed Tuesday to France to enrich uranium for Iran on Iranian soil, a dramatic effort to solve the three years-old nuclear crisis.... In the absence of any official reaction from Paris, analysts said this latest Iranian proposal could help defusing the Iranian nuclear standoff, as France might, if it accepts the offer, create the consortium with participation of other nuclear nations like the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia and China.
French master diplomat Philippe Douste-Blazy* didn't see it coming.
FRANCE SURPRISED BY IRANIAN PROPOSAL TO NUCLEAR IMPASSE
October 3, 2006 (eitb24) - French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said on Tuesday he was surprised by a proposal from a top Iranian nuclear official that France enrich Iran's uranium on Iranian soil, as a solution to the ongoing nuclear impasse.Mattei said the idea was "totally new for us" and insisted that the international community remained united in its efforts to halt Iran's nuclear activities.
… Mattei also said that the French government was "very preoccupied" by North Korea's announcement on Tuesday that it would conduct a nuclear test to bolster defence against what it calls increasing US hostility.
"We ask them [scil., the Norks] to immediately renounce this project because such an act would be a factor of grave instability for regional and international security," he added.
Iran must take a number and queue up like the rest of the world waiting on France.
Ah, M. le Ministre may be clueless about his portfolio but even he knows enough about French oversight to smell an Iranian con.
FRANCE REJECTS IRAN PROPOSAL FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT CONSORTIUM
PARIS October 3, 2006 (Forbes/AFX) - France rejected an Iranian proposal to set up a consortium including French nuclear energy group Areva for production of enriched uranium on Iranian soil as a way out of the international impasse over Tehran's nuclear programme.The 'channel of dialogue' must pass through EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, a spokesman for the French foreign ministry said.
'It's through this channel we await a response from the Iranians on the suspension' of uranium enrichment, as demanded by the UN Security Council, spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei told reporters.
Ah, OK, we suppose this means the EU3 and the Five+1 are out of the chatting-up-Tehran game, which is all fine by us. It is curious how France has frequently -- unannounced, without consultations -- made threats, temporized, offered talk, more talk, concessions, and, ah, more talk all outside of the EU "channel of dialogue" that she is now so particular about when faced with a leadership chore.
We are not here suggesting that France accept this con and give cover to Iran's weaponized uranium program. The leadership chore, as we see it, was to reject the oveture for the con that it is. Instead France plays coy, nitpicks about "channel of dialogue" -- which has never before hindered a French pronouncement -- and dodges behind the EU. Once again, French multipolar leadership wilts when obliged to lead.
Meantime, world leadership devolves to those who lead.
US, UK WARN OF SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN
TEHRAN October 3, 2006 (M&G)
KEY POWERS TO SEEK IRAN SANCTIONS
October 3, 2006 (BBC) - The US and key EU powers will seek a fresh UN resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear policy. The move comes after EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana concluded that Iran was not going to suspend uranium enrichment, said a senior UK official."If Iranians don't suspend, then we go to the Security Council for sanctions," the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, said.
No waiting on, no mistaking this pole of the multipolar world.
* The dimmest bulb in the dark Chirac marquee™.
PFFT (What is this?): Iran skunks France 3 | France not up to saying "Non" 4 | Rayonnement français 0
