French FM in Tehran/dismissed U.S. threats to punish France/tehrantimes/April 24

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=4/24/03&Cat=2&Num=020

April 24, 2003

French FM in Tehran
TEHRAN TIMES POLITICAL DESK
TEHRAN -- French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin arrived in Tehran from Jordan late Wednesday on the last leg of a regional tour aimed at talks focusing on the future of Iraq.

"Expansion of Iran-France bilateral ties and sensitive developments of the region especially the Iraqi crisis" top the agenda of negotiations between Tehran and Paris "in the framework of consolidating mutual relations and pursuing regional and international consultations," Foreign Ministry said Monday.

The French top diplomat "is due to hold talks with high-ranking Iranian officials including President Mohammad Khatami, Chairman of the State Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi," the ministry added.

In Amman, De Villepin met King Abdullah II ahead of talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher with whom he also held a joint news conference before his departure for Iran.

Jordan seeks the creation of a representative Iraqi government in neighboring post-Saddam Iraq that would be chosen by the Iraqis rather than imposed from outside. It also wants Iraqi unity and sovereignty preserved.

On Tuesday, De Villepin said in Ankara that the international community must be "pragmatic, open and try to think ... of the needs of the Iraqi people", adding that his country was ready to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq.

He also dismissed U.S. threats to punish France for its anti-war position and said that France will continue to defend international law.

His comments came after U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday that France would face consequences for its opposition to the war on Iraq. Asked in an interview with PBS Television whether Paris would be punished for its anti-war stance, Powell replied bluntly: "Yes."