Pave: Then And Now, Iran Sweet talk

Le jour 127 de Sarko

Then:

I have to say that the United States has followed our negotiations with enormous scepticism, thinking that it will lead nowhere and that we are being duped by the Iranians. ... That hasn't stopped the Americans continuing to watch us with deep scepticism. We don't consult them as such, but we are telling the Americans what direction we're going in without providing details on all of our positions.

Anonymous French Diplomat
explaining the no-results-necessary
French tea party approach to negotiating
an end to the Iranian weaponized uranium program
PARIS August 5, 2005 (AFP)

Now:

ON IRAN, FRANCE MOVES CLOSER TO U.S.
PARIS September 18, 2007 (CBS/AP)

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Then:

I am never in favor of sanctions.

Then-Jack, Now Ex-Jack,
signaling Iran that talks are forever
UNITED NATIONS September 19, 2006 (LAT)

Now:

FRANCE WARNS IRAN OF SANCTIONS

MOSCOW September 17, 2007 (NYT) — France sent another strong message to Iran on Monday, announcing that it would work to set up European sanctions modeled on those by the United States if the United Nations Security Council failed to agree on tougher measures.

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Then:

IRAN, FRANCE TO SIGN $2.7B GAS DEAL WEDNESDAY
TEHRAN September 17, 2006 (MNA)

Now:

FRANCE URGES COMPANIES TO STOP INVESTING IN IRAN
PARIS September 17, 2007 (Xinhua)

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Then:

I would say that what is dangerous about this situation [scil., Iranian uranium enrichment] is not the fact of having a nuclear bomb - having one, maybe a second one a little later, well, that's not very dangerous.

Then-Jack, Now Ex-Jack,
signaling that France has decided
Europe can live with a nuclear Iran
January 29, 2007 (IHT)

Now:

SARKOZY URGES IRAN TO BACK DOWN IN NUCLEAR STANDOFF

PARIS August 27, 2007 (AFP) - "A nuclear-armed Iran is for me unacceptable," Sarkozy asserted in his first foreign policy speech since taking office in May.

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Then:

We consider that all military action not endorsed by the international community, through, in particular, the Security Council, was both illegitimate and illegal, is illegitimate and illegal. And we have not changed our view on that.

Then-Jack, Now Ex-Jack
pronouncing on France's martial pieties
vis-a-vis the liberation of Iraq
ÉVIAN-LES-BAINS June 3, 2003 (BBC)

Now:

SARKOZY TALKS OF BOMBING IF IRAN GETS NUCLEAR ARMS

PARIS August 28, 2007 (Times Online) - President Sarkozy called Iran’s nuclear ambition the world’s most dangerous problem yesterday and raised the possibility that the country could be bombed if it persisted in building an atomic weapon. ... Sarkozy:

This initiative is the only one that can enable us to escape an alternative that I say is catastrophic: the Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran.

PREPARE FOR WAR WITH IRAN: FRENCH WARNING

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM September 18, 2007 (SMH) - The world should "prepare for war" with Iran, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, said on Sunday, escalating tensions over the country's nuclear program. ... His comments came after the US reminded Iran that "all options were on the table" in confronting its nuclear policy.

It is plain enough that Russia and China would never sign on to -- would veto -- any UNSCR authorizing force against Iran. So we can assume France is prepared to act outside the UN's gauzy legality.

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We are a long way from the chuckleheads (and this), endless tea parties, and press release diplomacy of the chiraquiens.

PFFT (What is this?): Sweet talk ½ | Rayonnement français 2½

Posted by Damian at September 19, 2007 06:00 AM