France would halt UN sanction if Iran cooperated

United Nations, Oct 21: France and its allies would suspend their quest for UN sanctions against Iran if Tehran responded to international concerns over its nuclear program, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said.

After four months of talks with the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, Iran this month rejected demands that it suspend uranium enrichment, prompting preparations of a UN Security Council resolution.

''If Iran does show goodwill, France and France's partners are prepared to suspend the procedure in front of the the UN Security Council,'' Alliot-Marie said. ''The only condition is that there are indeed steps forward.'' ''It is only insofar as there are steps forward that we will stop the path to sanctions,'' she said. '' France, Britain and Germany are drafting a Security Council resolution expected to ban nuclear-related activities, which the West suspects are aimed at making a bomb.

The three European countries have been negotiating with the United States, which wants tougher measures, before giving a text to Russia and China and then the entire 15-member council, diplomats close to the talks said.

Alliot-Marie said the problem with Iran was that when the prospect of sanctions loomed, Tehran would respond and then retreat again.

''When the sanctions are getting close, there is a diplomatic step forward by Iran and then on the following day or three days later, when we think we're going to get into the talks, once again they step back and they stiffen on behalf of the Iranian government or president,'' Alliot-Marie said.

Iran was offered a package of economic incentives in June if it agreed to consider a moratorium on enrichment but it has refused to do so.

The European Union, spurred by North Korea's nuclear test, backed limited UN sanctions against Iran's nuclear program on Tuesday in Brussels. The 25 EU foreign ministers called for incremental measures, concentrating first on individuals and materials involved in Iranian uranium enrichment activities.

REUTERS

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