Today's Date:

THE MINISTER – I listened very carefully to President Ahmadinejad. As you know, France, alongside the United Kingdom and Germany, has always argued for continuing the negotiations. We've always said that Iran had the right to civilian nuclear technology.

We also think that Mr Ahmadinejad is right when he says that developing nuclear activities mustn’t be motivated by military ambitions. When he supports the Non-Proliferation Treaty, he is right. On the other hand, we're very worried by his reaffirmation of his desire to develop the fuel cycle without taking account of the international community's concerns. I remind you that the last IAEA Board of Governors’ meeting unanimously – showing the international community's unity – asked Iran to suspend sensitive nuclear activities.

Our position hasn't changed, it is firm: Iran must not develop the sensitive parts of the fuel cycle. That would in fact give her the possibility of producing fissile material. Iran mustn't carry out fuel cycle activities so long as the International Atomic Energy Agency has not proved that it's for peaceful purposes. Nor do we see what the involvement of a third country in the Iranian nuclear programme would contribute in order to restore confidence. And so what I have heard today makes me say that the option of passing the IAEA report to the Security Council remains relevant./.