French minister says stance on Iran unchanged

PARIS, Feb 4: French policy towards Iran has not changed, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said today, playing down comments made by President Jacques Chirac to journalists last week.

''The Iranians must suspend their nuclear activities,'' Douste Blazy told France 5 television talk show Ripostes.

This is one of the most dangerous situations in the world for global stability.

'We are firm. If Iran continues its sensitive nuclear activities we will continue sanctions because we don't want Iran to have anything but peaceful, civil nuclear (activity).' Chirac was reported on Thursday as telling a group of US and French journalists that it would not be dangerous for Iran to have one or two nuclear bombs because if it ever sought to use them Tehran would be obliterated immediately.

Chirac later retracted his remarks.

Speaking on the same talk show as Douste-Blazy, Pierre Moscovici, a European affairs minister under France's previous Socialist government, said Chirac's remark showed some in Paris thought it was possible to negotiate with Tehran.

''There is a part in French diplomacy to consider them as normal partners I don't agree,'' Moscovici said.

REUTERS