Sarkozy to meet Iran's FM for nuke talks

France says meeting will be "an opportunity" to discuss initiative to renew nuclear negotiations.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
sarkozy puppy eyes 248 88 ap (photo credit: )
sarkozy puppy eyes 248 88 ap
(photo credit: )
French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Paris on Wednesday for talks on a variety of issues, including Teheran's controversial nuclear program. The meeting will be "an opportunity" to discuss the initiative of world powers to renew talks with Iran regarding nuclear proliferation, Israel Radio quoted an Élysée Palace statement as saying on Tuesday. Last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that talks on the country's nuclear program would have to wait until after the country's presidential elections on June 12. Speaking at a press conference in Teheran, Ahmadinejad said, "We said that we won't hold any talks [on the matter] before the elections… they're insisting on starting before the elections." He went on to claim that US President Barack Obama had "called a number of times, and also agreed to wait with the talks until after the elections." Ahmadinejad criticized as "disgraceful" a 2003 deal his predecessor reached with Europe to freeze the country's nuclear program, saying his own decision to stand up to the West restored Iran's dignity. Last week, Ahmadinejad said his country had boosted its capacity to enrich uranium, another sign of anti-Western defiance by the leader seeking re-election. AP contributed to this report