Paris, October 31, 2012 (AFP)
Paris, October 31, 2012 (AFP)
France’s President said he wanted “concrete acts and gestures” from Iran to show it was not pursuing nuclear arms, adding that he backed “other sanctions” if Tehran failed to do so.
“This is a threat which cannot be accepted by France,” Francois Hollande said Wednesday in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We have voted for many sanctions and are ready to vote others as long as necessary,” the French leader said, underscoring that he wanted “proof that Iran has abandoned this drive.”
Iran denies Israeli and Western suspicions that its nuclear program is a front for a drive for a weapons capability.
Hollande also urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks without any conditions.
“Only negotiations can lead to a definitive solution,” he said.
Direct peace talks have been on hold for more than two years, with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas refusing to negotiate as long as Israel continues to build and approve new Jewish settlements.
