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Last update - 07:23 12/12/2008
Iran irate after Sarkozy rules out shaking Ahmadinejad's hand
By News Agencies
Tags: Iran, Nicolas Sarkozy 

The Iranian foreign ministry summoned the French ambassador to Tehran over remarks this week by French President Nicolas Sarkozy about his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian media and France's foreign ministry said Thursday.

According to Iran's state television, Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari expressed strong objections to recent "interventionist comments" by Sarkozy.

The report said Safari summoned the French ambassador, Bernard Poletti, on Wednesday.
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During the meeting, the Iranian official warned about the impact Sarkozy's remarks could have on the two countries' bilateral relations, the report added.

In a speech about human rights Monday, Sarkozy said he had told former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that "it is impossible for me to shake hands with someone who dared to say that Israel should be wiped off the map."

Sarkozy also reportedly said that Ahmadinejad doesn't represent all Iranians.

"I know perfectly well the Iranian president does not represent all the power in Iran, and even less ... the Iranian population," Sarkozy said, according to the text of his speech posted on the French president's Web site.

Sarkozy was addressing former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who was one of the guests attending a ceremony in Paris celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"We can not solve this crisis without talking to Iranian leaders," he said, but added: "I know perfectly well that the Iranian president does not represent Iran, much less the Iranian people."

"The Iranian people are one of the greatest people of the world, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, cultured and open, but they have the misfortune to be represented today by some of their leaders."

In Paris, the French ministry said Thursday that its ambassador reiterated France's opinion that Ahmadinejad's statement regarding Israel was "unacceptable."

In 2005, Ahmadinejad prompted international criticism when he said the Jewish state should be "wiped off the map."

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      1.   Good on you, Sarko. 00:02  |  Zed 12/12/08
      2.   THREE HURRAHS FOR SARKO!!! 00:25  |  Freethinker 12/12/08
      3.   Brave man, moral backbone 00:30  |  judith 12/12/08
      4.   hand 01:07  |  Shmuelshachor 12/12/08
      5.   Will he also refuse to shake Bibi Netanyahus hands....???? 01:10  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/12/08
      6.   IRAN HAS A 2 MILE LINE UP FOR 10 LITERS OF GAS 01:28  |  HAL TRIPP 12/12/08
      7.   STANDING UP TO THE DINNER JACKET 01:31  |  IsraFan 12/12/08
      8.   We need more Sarkozys 01:35  |  An American 12/12/08
      9.   How to win friends and influence people? 01:37  |  Manny Goldstein 12/12/08
      10.   Cool! Finally someone with balls 01:41  |  Phil 12/12/08
      11.   #1 - man with backbone? 01:52  |  yezmar 12/12/08
      12.   Bravo President Sarkozy !!! 01:54  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/12/08
      13.   Sarko - Brave statement to make for an EU leader 02:16  |  Barry 12/12/08
      14.   no Amidinijad handshake 02:28  |  Glenn Harbison 12/12/08
      15.   If only Olmert had his backbone 02:40  |  Julian 12/12/08
      16.   He`s Absolutely Right! 02:41  |  Bill Foonman 12/12/08
      17.   Bienvenue a Le Monde De Sarkozy!!! 02:41  |  Rambo 12/12/08
      18.   Swiss (Dino) 02:42  |  Aussie Eli 12/12/08
      19.   WIPING OFF THE MAP 03:06  |  Arik Silverman 12/12/08
      20.   Viva Sarkozy!!! 03:11  |  Yosemite 12/12/08
      21.   Listen Sarkozy: He didn`t say that ! 03:29  |  David James Vickery 12/12/08
      22.   Can You Blame Sarkozy? 03:38  |  Yosemite 12/12/08
      23.   SARKOZY AND SWISS DINO 03:47  |  Brant 12/12/08
      24.   FRENCH LEADER IS FIGHTING AGAINST "HISTORY" 03:49  |  indrajaya 12/12/08
      25.   For Swiss (Dino) # 5: moral equivalency run amok 03:52  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 12/12/08
      26.   Backbone! 03:54  |  Ron 12/12/08
      27.   God Bless you President Sarkozy 03:57  |  Yuri 12/12/08
      28.   Did I miss something or is Sarkozy running for PM of Israel too? 03:59  |  Joe 12/12/08
      29.   BRAVO 04:07  |  alfredo 12/12/08
      30.   A Real Mensch - No Wonder Scum Burg Despises Him 04:09  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/12/08
      31.   World leaders should do the same! 04:24  |  Joseph 12/12/08
      32.   Thank you Mr. Sarkozy 04:43  |  Jaycee 12/12/08
      33.   Bravo!!! 04:53  |  Lynn 12/12/08
      34.   Ahmedinejad is Hitler of our time. Sarkozy is absoutely right! 05:15  |  Vittorio 12/12/08
      35.   Dino 05:47  |  Paul 12/12/08
      36.   To Swiss (Dino): `Only Bibi ...` ? 06:07  |  Morris Valentine 12/12/08
      37.   swiss Dino 06:20  |  ron 12/12/08
      38.   Swiss Dino # 5 06:25  |  Philippe 12/12/08
      39.   Rambo # 17 06:29  |  Philippe 12/12/08
      40.   Summoning the french envoy 06:51  |  Philippe 12/12/08
      41.   Manny Goldstein 06:55  |  Philippe 12/12/08
      42.   Ahmadjjjajaj, you made your bed, now sleep in it 07:51  |  Dan 12/12/08
      43.   Do not ignore the ?lunacy? of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. 08:03  |  Jean Van Daem 12/12/08
      44.   Iran upset ! 08:18  |  DT 12/12/08
      45.   Swiss Dino 08:21  |  sharon 12/12/08
      46.   Sarko 08:26  |  christoph 12/12/08
      47.   Dwarfs 09:09  |  Clickfool 12/12/08
      48.   "Iran irate"! how absolutely delicious 09:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/12/08
      49.   He said exactly the right thing... 09:42  |  tristan 12/12/08
      50.   dino 09:49  |  Charles 12/12/08
      51.   Iran is irate? Well, its leaders could simply deny the fact that 09:54  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 12/12/08
      52.   He said exactly the right thing... (2nd try) 10:14  |  tristan 12/12/08
      53.   Dino`s "philosophical" question 10:38  |  x-ray 12/12/08
      54.   # 23 sharon, not yet, not yet, wait for things to come...:) 10:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/12/08
      55.   please dont 11:09  |  George 12/12/08
      56.   Good to see some moral is left in our world leaders! 11:14  |  Daniel j 12/12/08
      57.   Sarko doing the right thing but does he have the right motive? 11:24  |  Mark B. 12/12/08
      58.   SWISS. Netanyahu 2005 " Pal. state acceptable--"!! 11:30  |  PETER SM 12/12/08
      59.   Bravo. At least one European leader does play the game 11:36  |  De 12/12/08
      60.   Oil price under U$ 43 the barrel 11:36  |  Israeli cititzen 12/12/08
      61.   sarkozy`s a good man; pragmatist and objective thinker 11:37  |  eric 12/12/08
      62.   Sarkozy incorrect, can improve by endorsing SAUDI PLAN 11:39  |  Ivar 12/12/08
      63.   Hey Clickfool! For once you are in a minority! 11:42  |  S 12/12/08
      64.   SWISS" Netanyahu on a Palestinian state Reuters Dec 2008! 11:47  |  PETER SM 12/12/08
      65.   # to Swiss Dino intelectual dishonesty 12:07  |  CM 12/12/08
      66.   @ 5: FRIENDS 12:09  |  Jew- and Bookburner 12/12/08
      67.   "Interventionist Comments"? 12:52  |  Jeff Northridge 12/12/08
      68.   Clickfool #27 13:05  |  Shtarka 12/12/08
      69.   Vive la France 13:17  |  Daniel Leopold 12/12/08
      70.   Finally, a French PM we can respect. 13:50  |  Jerusalem Jew 12/12/08
      71.   Bravery LOL 14:00  |  S. Paceman 12/12/08
      72.   Swiss Dino 5 15:09  |  ChanahS 12/12/08
      73.   Iran as a tool in a future... 15:25  |  Ben Lollo 12/12/08
      74.   Follow this lead 15:40  |  Ben Azzai 12/12/08
      75.   no world leaders should shake hands w/Ahmadinejad - 17:04  |  ivo 12/12/08
      76.   Yet the nuetral UN. Hugged him 17:09  |  Realist 12/12/08
      77.   to chanahS no 45 about Dino 17:09  |  Tina 12/12/08
      78.   The same disinformation from the media 17:17  |  Leon 12/12/08
      79.   ONLY TO STRENGTHEN THE IRANIAN RESOLVE 17:41  |  indrajaya 12/12/08
      80.   President Sarkozy, a man of honor... 17:44  |  Alexis 12/12/08
      81.   # 32 x-ray, sorry, but you got to live with what you got..... 18:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/12/08
      82.   Strong stance on iranian terror. Way to go president Sarkozy! 18:42  |  Johnny 12/12/08
      83.   #35 Mark B. No he is not a stereotype 18:43  |  Big Sur 12/12/08
      84.   to Jerusalem Jew 18:43  |  Jean-Paul DOGUET 12/12/08
      85.   Way to go Sarkozy!! 18:52  |  Dave Schwep 12/12/08
      86.   I don`t see why this is bad 19:00  |  Magnus K. 12/12/08
      87.   Eric (39) Exactly! 19:05  |  Magnus K. 12/12/08
      88.   Clickfool - When all else fails, throw insults 19:27  |  Lee 12/12/08
      89.   I suddenly have a new love for the French! 19:29  |  Lee 12/12/08
      90.   To Clickfool RE "dwarfs" 19:38  |  Jake 12/12/08
      91.   #28, Some "medicine of her own" to Cipora Julianna Kohn (3rd try) 19:41  |  zmogus 12/12/08
      92.   9, Manny Goldstein. The little ways of the king of France.(3rd t) 19:43  |  zmogus 12/12/08
      93.   swiss dino "what is worse" 19:46  |  swisswatch 12/12/08
      94.   Dino, #5, in response to your insipid rhetorical question 19:49  |  Jake 12/12/08
      95.   three quarters of germany has a negative opinion of israel. 19:50  |  tuvia raviv 12/12/08
      96.   Iran and it`s supporters can huff and puff all they want 19:58  |  Lee 12/12/08
      97.   bravo 20:33  |  alan 12/12/08
      98.   Shaking down Pres.Ahmadinejad. 21:28  |  Stephen. 12/12/08
      99.   Little Sarkozy not getting cozy with Iran 22:37  |  :___: 12/12/08
      100.   Just Love that Sarko 23:09  |  Danite 12/12/08
      101.   For # 27 MIDGET 23:13  |  the Teacher/Instruct 12/12/08
      102.   re 5 let 7 million dead Jews vote on that one swissy 23:38  |  alan the real one 12/12/08
      103.   re 36 why should a fact get in the way of a swiss diatribe 23:42  |  alan the real one 12/12/08
      104.   #35 Mark B....genetically predisposed? 23:56  |  Lynn 12/12/08
      105.   Carter versus Sarkozy 23:58  |  Observer 12/12/08
      106.   To: Swiss Dino 00:02  |  Angel 13/12/08
      107.   Sarkozy-desperate to `not` shake `somebody`s` hand 00:08  |  Roo 13/12/08
      108.   It was a totally unnecessary remark... 00:27  |  Colin Wright 13/12/08
      109.   COOL HAND SARKOZY 00:44  |  JEWish doctor 13/12/08
      110.   Truth about Sarko 00:46  |  SUNDAY 13/12/08
      111.   54 Your misconception the Arabs are begging 01:00  |  lydia 13/12/08
      112.   Jean-Paul Doggy 01:05  |  Canadian Jew 13/12/08
      113.   roo hates israel and everybody who likes israel 01:09  |  yirmi 13/12/08
      114.   Iran vs France and Sarkozy vs Ahmadinajad:Vive la difference 01:24  |  Daniel Leopold 13/12/08
      115.   #5..Swiss :(Dino:( 01:37  |  Malone 13/12/08
      116.   Zbogus and an non-comprehension of reality 01:59  |  SDHD 13/12/08
      117.   zmogus and yet another opaque post 02:08  |  litvak 13/12/08
      118.   zmogus and french antisemitism 02:11  |  litvak 13/12/08
      119.   Sarkozy`s comments 02:13  |  Real Bois 13/12/08
      120.   zmogus "sarkozy is representing the local population even less" 02:13  |  litvak 13/12/08
      121.   zmogus 26% of french jews have considered leaving 02:18  |  freelatvia 13/12/08
      122.   zmogus despite your hatred of sarkozy 02:27  |  vilniusman 13/12/08
      123.   #8 An American..Praise to Sarkozy,BUT! 03:18  |  Ross 13/12/08
      124.   Zmogus 03:24  |  Peter Williams 13/12/08
      125.   Sarko, you little beauty! 03:27  |  ATLAS 13/12/08
      126.   I am so sick of the wipe off the map misquotes 03:28  |  uri 13/12/08
      127.   #92 zmogus ..About Sarkozy:I`ll believe him if he.. 03:40  |  Ross 13/12/08
      128.   Beg Sarko - Give Lesson Obama 04:05  |  NoToStupidPeople 13/12/08
      129.   Who Wouldn`t Want To Shake Mahmoud`s Hand? 04:23  |  Yosemite 13/12/08
      130.   Talking About Small Men.... 04:31  |  SUNDAY 13/12/08
      131.   Re: #113 roo hates Israel... 05:21  |  Bill 13/12/08
      132.   Darth #25 08:16  |  Esther 13/12/08
      133.   Ya, MV #36... but... 08:29  |  Esther 13/12/08
      134.   tale of 2 cities 09:07  |  Capt Ahab 13/12/08
      135.   # 18 Aussie Eli (3 rd try !!!) 09:47  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/12/08
      136.   # 58 / # 64 PETER SM / # 94 Jake, words are (very) cheap.... 09:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/12/08
      137.   Ya, Esther #133!!! 10:26  |  S 13/12/08
      138.   # 102/# 103 alan the real one 10:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/12/08
      139.   so you can be hurt by words? 11:12  |  Charles Emelogu 13/12/08
      140.   Lydia # 111 12:09  |  Charles 13/12/08
      141.   #124, Peter Williams. The difference between you and Sarkozy is.. 12:22  |  zmogus 13/12/08
      142.   Zmogus , # 91 12:22  |  Charles 13/12/08
      143.   sense of helplessness in the west 12:43  |  Arief Contractor 13/12/08
      144.   sense of helplessness in the west 12:47  |  Arief Contractor 13/12/08
      145.   S and S/ter 12:50  |  x-ray 13/12/08
      146.   #127, Ross 13:34  |  zmogus 13/12/08
      147.   # 36 Morris Valentine (2nd try) 13:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/12/08
      148.   Sarkozy great for Israel! 15:15  |  adam 13/12/08
      149.   zmogus i cannot be bothered with the intricacies 15:43  |  estonian 13/12/08
      150.   INDY.......not to forget 16:14  |  Lynn 13/12/08
      151.   x-ray #145 16:48  |  S 13/12/08
      152.   # 150, LYNN 16:50  |  indrajaya 13/12/08
      153.   Uri in Baltimore re misquote 17:16  |  Persian Kitty 13/12/08
      154.   Puerile Snub Confirms Iran`s Accusations............. 17:49  |  Gray 13/12/08
      155.   Swiss (Dino) #135 - we don`t know uyet 17:58  |  David Israel 13/12/08
      156.   Is Sarkozy`s refusal to shake 18:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/12/08
      157.   Sarkozy 18:19  |  Michael T 13/12/08
      158.   Lets be honest 18:20  |  Canadian99 13/12/08
      159.   imagine amos oz denouncing jewish fanatics 18:46  |  harzion 13/12/08
      160.   persian kitty i can never understand why the persians 18:48  |  reza 13/12/08
      161.   No More Touchy-Feelie Until Further Notice 18:55  |  Jeff Northridge 13/12/08
      162.   Uri and Persian Kitty 18:57  |  Mark Lincoln 13/12/08
      163.   #152 INDY.....one of the reasons I can 19:22  |  Lynn 13/12/08
      164.   # 155 David Israel 19:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/12/08
      165.   Persian Kitty, Mark Lincoln 20:15  |  in der Tat 13/12/08
      166.   Gray, you don`t even realize how closely your prose parrots 21:14  |  Freethinker 13/12/08
      167.   One world leader with a bit of guts 21:34  |  Shalom Freedman 13/12/08
      168.   Jimmy Carter gets death threats, Not Sarkozy...Why? 22:25  |  Gray 13/12/08
      169.   Gray # 154 Shotgun Propaganda Bull! 22:45  |  Jeff Northridge 13/12/08
      170.   # 156 C.Linthwaite : Sarkozy is not jewish ! 22:51  |  tristan 13/12/08
      171.   Anyway the Shiites are the ones who view other hands than theirs 22:56  |  Truth 13/12/08
      172.   Tristan in Paris 23:28  |  Persian Kitty 13/12/08
      173.   canadian99 23:39  |  strange 13/12/08
      174.   Sarko on Ahmadinejad 23:59  |  Dik 13/12/08
      175.   Good for Sarkozy 00:26  |  Don 14/12/08
      176.   Sarko - my man! 01:02  |  Fred 14/12/08
      177.   Jeff Northridge #169 02:50  |  Persian Kitty 14/12/08
      178.   Is this true love? 04:38  |  Ben 14/12/08
      179.   No Grey you do not get it second try 05:39  |  Mark Lincoln 14/12/08
      180.   Persian Kitty and Sarkozy 05:46  |  Mark Lincoln 14/12/08
      181.   Bravo, Monsieur le President! 07:35  |  Franco 14/12/08
      182.   #91, zmogous 07:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/12/08
      183.   #146, zmogous, the meaning of "delicious" 07:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/12/08
      184.   Zmogus 08:08  |  Peter Williams 14/12/08
      185.   #104 Lynn 08:20  |  Franco 14/12/08
      186.   Tristan 170 09:55  |  Charles 14/12/08
      187.   Persian Kitty 10:06  |  Charles 14/12/08
      188.   freaky circus free 11:46  |  turbo 14/12/08
      189.   Wow, Jeff, So Many falsehoods...so little time.... 16:08  |  Gray 14/12/08
      190.   To "litvak", "freelatvia", "vilniusman", "estonian" and other ... 23:39  |  zmogus 14/12/08
      191.   zmogus attacks IQ`s instead of arguments 09:08  |  Peter Williams 15/12/08
      192.   Peter Williams 15:10  |  Roo 15/12/08
      193.   Roo 22:32  |  Peter Williams 15/12/08
      194.   Peter Williams 14:50  |  Roo 16/12/08
      195.   Roo 00:42  |  Peter Williams 17/12/08
      196.   Peter Williams 14:37  |  Roo 17/12/08
      197.   Iran 21:13  |  Gary A. O`Neil 23/07/09
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