Sarkozy wants tougher Iran sanctions by Delia Cruceru

France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy declared Thursday in an interview for two French televisions that he will seek tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran accusing it of developing nuclear weapons. "Iran is trying to acquire a nuclear bomb. I say to the French, 'It's unacceptable,'" Sarkozy said. Iran insisted that the nuclear program is used for producing civilian electric power. The French President tried to distance himself from the harsh words that the Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner used "we have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war." He said that France doesn't want war, although it is a difficult matter, but negotiations with Iran are still possible. The Foreign Minister insisted that the words were taken out of the context, offering himself Thursday to visit Iran for talks on the nuclear standoff. "'The worst is war,' I said, not to favor war, but to fight against war," Kouchner said. Sarkozy remembered the manner that the international community used for convincing North Korea and Libya to stop the nuclear program, wanting to be applied for Iran too: Through discussion, dialogue, sanctions," he said. A spokesman for the French President, David Martinon said that the president desires the European countries not to seek economic investments or markets and to punish Iran for its nuclear program, in parallel to the drive to secure new UN sanctions. "We would like to obtain that from all EU countries, and we are not alone in wanting to do so," Martinon said.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_re_eu/france_iran;_ylt=AokSTUPQlVDcB_zMEwtX6C6s0NUE

by Delia Cruceru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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