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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
France still sees diplomatic way out of Iran nuclear crisis
2007-03-12
Of course they do. They're French.
ABU DHABI - French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Sunday that a diplomatic solution was still possible to the crisis over IranÂ’s nuclear programme.

‘Very frankly, I think the diplomatic path is possible. I believe that,’ he said at a joint press conference in Abu Dhabi with Emirati Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahayan. ‘I don’t want to believe for an instant that Iran, after having isolated itself politically and economically, can afford to take further risks,’ the French minister said.

Asked about the military option, he said the United States, which is at the forefront of international opposition to Iran’s programme, ‘acknowledges that the strategy (of) using dialogue and pressure are bearing fruit’.
It's very useful to us whilst we align our forces and allow certain other 'programs' to bear fruit.
The five UN Security Council permanent members, including France, and Germany are currently discussing a draft resolution to tighten sanctions against the Islamic republic for its controversial nuclear fuel work. The council in December agreed a first set of measures penalising Iran for its refusal to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment activities.
The new sanctions will be more completely ineffectual.
France’s policy is centred on ‘firmness and dialogue’ as well as achieving unanimity, said Douste-Blazy, warning that ‘if there is no unanimity, there will be no effectiveness to the Security Council’s position’.
Grandmaster of the Obvious, specially trained at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration.
A military strike, which the United States has refused to rule out, ‘would have unpredictable consequences which would prove deeply destabilising for the whole region,’ he said.
We could predict a few of those consequences ...
Douste-Blazy was winding up a tour of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, which like the other Gulf Arab states have also warned against the regional impact of any strike on Iran.
Mostly 'cause they don't want to get hit with the splatter ...
Posted by:Steve White

#14  Considering this is talking about the French government, rather than soldiers, I think the white flag is appropriate.
Posted by: Jackal   2007-03-12 22:19  

#13  The problems the French Army faced in the latter stages of their involvement in Vietnam were very much like our on expierience. Mounting opposition at home, dwindling support for the war from the French Government, press coverage much like our own. We were giving the French military support but the climate at home for them was too much. We didn't do much better.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2007-03-12 20:00  

#12  At Dien Bien Phu, weel after it became evident that it had become death-trap (BTW Dein Bien Phu full idea was about as bright as the 1940 campaign) there were people who had never jumped in their life, volunteering for a combat jump in the cauldron.
Posted by: JFM   2007-03-12 19:07  

#11  
Posted by: doc   2007-03-12 17:16  

#10  Well, I guess full surrender IS technically a diplomatic way out...
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-03-12 16:10  

#9  hell never would have guessed this one. i didn.t even have too read it it has been done so many times
Posted by: sinse   2007-03-12 14:49  

#8  JFM,
That's very brave, but it's also 60+ years ago. The French were also very brave at Verdun, but unfortunately anyone with any balls died in the trenches.

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al   2007-03-12 13:49  

#7  FranceÂ’s policy is centred on ‘firmness and dialogueÂ’ ...

France's policies are about as firm as a subject in a Salvador Dali painting.
Posted by: xbalanke   2007-03-12 13:32  

#6  France still sees a diplomatic way out of the Napoleonic Wars.
Posted by: Infidel Bob   2007-03-12 12:42  

#5  
We need a graphic of a waving white flag so we can include it whenever we post an article on France.


Jean Maridor, crashed his Hawker Tempest on a V1 heading to hospital. Source (Tempest over Europe by Coommander Beamont).
Posted by: JFM   2007-03-12 12:28  

#4  We need a graphic of a waving white flag so we can include it whenever we post an article on France.

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al   2007-03-12 11:28  

#3  3dc---France does business with Iran, so when things get better, they are in the catbird seat again. Remember it was France that let the Ayutollah C***hola Komeni live in exile until the Shah was deposed. Just like they cuddled up to Sammy in Iraq. The French govt likes lucrative business contracts with despots.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2007-03-12 02:06  

#2  IF Iran is out of money there is none to be slipped to France so why does France care?
Posted by: 3dc   2007-03-12 02:00  

#1  WORLDTRIBUNE > Both IRAN + RUSSIA have a common prob in that both IRAN + Russian consortium ala BESHEHR nuke plant HAVE NO MONEY, ergo Iran wants delivery of nuclear fuel and techs while Russia wants the $$$ first???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2007-03-12 00:14  

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