08 November 2007
France’s president Nicolas Sarkozy has said his country would be steadfast in isolating Iran until it stood down from its suspected nuclear weapons program. Iran with a nuclear weapon was "unacceptable," Sarkozy told a breakfast meeting with Jewish organizational leaders in Washington, DC. He added that he would not play the "double game" others in Europe have played: maintaining a firm political stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions while doing little to isolate Iran economically. Sarkozy said he would be open to "goodwill gestures" from Iran toward increased transparency on its nuclear program, adding that Arab nations and Iran have a right to a civilian nuclear program.
Sarkozy received an award from the American Jewish Committee for his friendship to Israel and for combating anti-Semitism. Sarkozy said France's commitment to Israel's security was "unconditional," although he disagreed at times with Israel's government. He suggested that he opposed Palestinian demands for a "right of return" of Palestinian refugees to Israel, saying that Palestinians and Israelis deserved to exist as "nation states" and preserve their national identities. Speaking of anti-Semitism, Sarkozy said he rejected any attempt to explain hatred of the Jews or any racism – such explanations, he said, amounted to excuses.
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