Pave: Who's Apologizing?

Le jour 137 de Sarko

So which is it? A new France of resolve and plain talk?

THE MINISTER – We must prepare ourselves in the best way to show we are serious and that we don't accept this threat [of Iran weaponizing uranium]. ...

Q – What exactly does "prepare oneself" mean?

THE MINISTER – It means one must prepare oneself for the worst.

Q. – And that is?

THE MINISTER – The worst is war.

M. Bernard Kouchner,
Minister of Foreign and European Affairs,
getting serious on Iran during an interlocution
PARIS September 16, 2007
(Ministère des Affaires étrangères)

Or the old France of finger-kissing and mincing nuances?

IRAN SAYS FRENCH FM 'APOLOGIZES'
OVER PORTRAYAL OF WAR REMARKS

TEHRAN September 28, 2007 (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has apologized to his Iranian counterpart over a media "misportrayal" of his recent warning about bracing for war with Iran over its nuclear programme, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported Thursday.

... IRNA quoted Iran's foreign ministry as saying the "French foreign minister in his meeting with the Iranian foreign minister ... apologized that the media have unrealistically portrayed his comments."

We are inclined to believe it is the former.

First, we have read the released transcipt of M. Kouchner's interview (at the source link above) and what the minister has said is plain enough. Second, the press has done little other than report the minister's plain answer to the question. Third, why would the minister apologize for an error of the press? Fourth, had the minister apologized it would have shown up somewhere on the ministry's Web site. We have checked Points de presse section as far back as Monday. No such apology is recorded.

Finally consider the source. The Iranians have been double-talking since day one. They are inveterate liars. They are happy to tell happy lies to keep Europeans happy, all day long all year long.

Given the choice between France and Iran of who to believe, well, even Pave can concede France to be the more credible.

PFFT (What is this?): Apology invented and accepted 4½ | Rayonnement français 2½