France Urges Iran to Stop Nuclear Program

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, August 01, 2003

France Urges Iran to Stop Nuclear Program

France awaits a "strong gesture" from Iran to restore confidence in an end to its nuclear program, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

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France awaits a "strong gesture" from Iran to restore confidence in an end to its nuclear program, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

"Now, France awaits a strong gesture from the part of the Iranian authorities, which will contribute to restoring confidencein the ending of its nuclear program," said the spokesman.

France has expressed its concern on several occasions over the development of a nuclear program in Iran, the spokesman said when asked about Washington's call on Wednesday for concerted European efforts to discourage Iran from building nuclear weapons.

"In particular, we call on Iran to sign and implement the additional protocol (of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT) without delay and conditions, which would be a first step to answer to our concerns," he said.

US President George W. Bush on Wednesday urged the international community, especially Europe, to join the United States in a concerted effort to discourage Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"I really believe that we can solve this issue peacefully, but this is an issue that's going to require a concerted effort by nations around the world to work with the United States, particularly in Europe, to speak clearly to the Iranian administration," Bush said.

Washington believes that Iran is covertly trying to develop atomic weapons, a charge that Iran has denied. Iran has said it may agree to the more intrusive, no-notice weapons inspections if it is given access to Western technology to advance its nuclear energy program.

The hard-line conservatives in Iran have threatened to pull outof the NPT if the country's nuclear facilities are attacked, but the Iranian government said it has no intention to do so.

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