Former French president supports Iran nuclear rights
Iran-UN, Politics, 12/9/2006

The former French president and member of parliament Valery Giscard d'Estaing today said that no party can protest against Iran's right to access nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
He made the remark in an interview with the French National Assembly TV broadcast.

Condemning the recent remarks of the French presidential socialist candidate, Segolene Royal, he said that according to NPT, the right of all member states to peaceful use of nuclear energy has been guaranteed.

"Therefore, members of the treaty cannot be deprived of conducting research and using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," he added. In his last week tour of the occupied territory of Palestine, Royal had said that Iran should not even be allowed to access nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Royal's approach was condemned by the French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy and Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie as well as a number of other French officials.

Also, Director-General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei dismissed sanction against Iran as a fruitless measure.
Periodical of Italian archbishops Onireh quoting the IAEA chief said that a lesson should be learned from Iraqi war.
It added that force should only be applied once a country is really proved to be a threat to the world in practice.
"While talks can be effective, imposing sanction against Iran is not a solution," he added.

He urged the need to the come up with a compromise between the fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons and responding to the increasing calls for access to nuclear energy, adding that this will be turned into a major rivalry in the third millennium.

"Nuclear energy is not a remedy in itself, but may play a more effective role as a source of energy in the near future.

"Given that this is a general goal in the world and 53 percent of the world energy will be consumed by developing countries up to 2030, turning to nuclear energy is reasonable," said ElBaradei.

Also, Bahrain's King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa yesterday in Manama said that regional states do not view Iran's peaceful nuclear activities as a threat to the region.
During a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, he said Iran has the right to access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. He said a secure Iran was crucial to guaranteeing security for the Persian Gulf region, and stressed the need to guarantee Iran's security.

Also, Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Rachid Harraoubia yesterday expressed his country's support for Iran's right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy. He said all signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) have the right to nuclear energy and to develop programs to be able to enjoy the various uses of nuclear energy.

The US, who has for a long time been trying to get consensus for a resolution of sanctions against Iran said yesterday thru the Department Of State spokesman Sean McCormack that "We remain hopeful that in the near future we will be able to get a resolution that everybody can vote for, that you will be able to maintain unity on the Security Council. As we have said over the past couple of weeks, that is the optimal solution. We would certainly want that in the best case. But it is also time to start working towards a vote. So they had some discussions on that -- very general discussions."

Meantime, Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said yesterday that Iran will not give up its rights for access to peaceful nuclear energy. "The Iranian nation have stood firmly in support for their right of access to peaceful nuclear energy and will not back down," said.

Khatami advised the 5+1 Group to enter "wise, logical and unconditional" dialogue with Iran instead of holding futile and vain meetings. He stressed that Iran has repeatedly been insisting that it is not pursuing any conflict with regards to its peaceful nuclear case. "Iran is insisting full restoration of its rights," he made it clear.

The cleric warned the 5+1 Group against issuance of any sanctions against Iran and said, "Rest assured that you will gain nothing by issuance of mischievous resolutions against Iran." He said the Group would fail to resist the Iranian nation as they in the past successfully defended their rights.

"You will not be able to face the great and extensive will of the Iranian nation as Iranians have thus far shown strong resistance to defend their rights," said Khatami.

On Thursday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said the Iranian nation will stand up to the bullying and greed of global arrogant powers, adding that Iran has achieved success in the nuclear field despite obstacles laid by them, and will continue to resist their bullying.

Previous Stories:
  Reaction against Israeli crimes sought at UN   (12/2/2006)
  Iran's nuclear transparency to be revealed through talks   (11/18/2006)
  Solana to Iran: EU willing to negotiate nuclear issue   (11/13/2006)

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