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French President Jacques Chirac. (Reuters)
Last update - 09:10 15/02/2007
Chirac backs easing pressure on Iran to protect UNIFIL troops
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

French President Jacque Chirac has announced his support for lessening pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program, for fear Hezbollah will strike at French troops serving in Lebanon, according to information recently received in Jerusalem. According to reports, Chirac proposed sending a special envoy to Tehran to reach understandings that would protect the French soldiers serving in in the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

A government source said Chirac's position is controversial in Paris, with the French Foreign Ministry continuing to support a hard line with regard to the Iranian nuclear program, a position also expressed Wednesday by the French ambassador to Israel, Jean-Michel Casa, in an interview with Haaretz.

Chirac told reporters at the end of January that it would not be terrible if Iran had a nuclear bomb or two, but quickly reversed himself following protests from officials at home. Israeli experts said that the link Chirac is making between French presence in Lebanon and the closing down of Iran's nuclear program shows the shortcomings of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the second Lebanon war. According to one expert, Israel "begged the French to send soldiers to Lebanon" and end up paying for it by damaging its strategic interests. Israel is conducting an intensive international diplomatic effort to increase sanctions on Iran, in an attempt to put a stop to its nuclear program.

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About two weeks ago, the United States under secretary of state for arms control and international security, Robert Joseph, visited Israel with his successor, John Rood, now chief of international security in the State Department. They two were briefed by Israeli experts on Iran's domestic situation and discussed ways of promoting sanctions.

The Security Council voted to impose "soft sanctions" on Iran in the face of its refusal to stop enriching uranium. But the sanctions committee has yet to be created.

The European Union has not created an agreed-on policy regarding enforcement of sanctions.

The Foreign Ministry's deputy director general for strategic affairs, Miriam Ziv, went to Moscow at the head of an interministerial delegation to talks on Iran's nuclear program. The Russians told her they were sending harshly worded messages to Iran on all levels and had even met with Iran's spiritual leader, Ali Khamani.

This week Ziv will meet in Berlin with senior German Foreign Ministry officials.

A government source in Jerusalem said foreign delegations listen to Israel, and are not trying to create a link between stopping Iran's nuclear program and regional nuclear disarmament or progress toward a peace agreement on the Israeli-Palestinian front.

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      1.   Chirac yes? or no? 07:50  |  Nora 15/02/07
      2.   Hello Neville Chamberlain 08:19  |  Jim 15/02/07
      3.   So Iran does controll Hisbula.What did he expect from Hisbula? 09:05  |  PETER SM 15/02/07
      4.   Appeasement at its worst! What a coward ! 09:09  |  redmike 15/02/07
      5.   Chirac 09:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/02/07
      6.   In other words, Hizballah uses terror against UNIFIL forces and 09:27  |  Nadav 15/02/07
      7.   France has nuclear weapons AND dumped... 09:28  |  Maureen Ann 15/02/07
      8.   chirac admits the iran-hizbullah connection 09:30  |  matt 15/02/07
      9.   GREAT, FRENCH IS AFRAID 09:46  |  indrajaya 15/02/07
      10.   what took him so long? wanted to put days inbetween the envelop 09:54  |  ralph 15/02/07
      11.   French troops attacked by Hizbullah? When? When? 09:57  |  SLAVO 15/02/07
      12.   Chirac 10:05  |  Frank 15/02/07
      13.   Chirac backs easing pressure 10:18  |  jeremy 15/02/07
      14.   France and UN Resolution 10:19  |  KUTW 15/02/07
      15.   wait after french elections... 10:25  |  JM.PEHOURTICQ 15/02/07
      16.   WHAT CHIRAC WAITING? 10:28  |  jean marie 15/02/07
      17.   Just like the Brits and Americans in WWII.. 10:33  |  Niv 15/02/07
      18.   Monsieur Mouse Scared Of A Persian Kitty? 10:39  |  Lavi 15/02/07
      19.   Beautiful France... 10:41  |  S 15/02/07
      20.   Appeasement as a Diplomatic Tool 10:45  |  J of Hollywood 15/02/07
      21.   HAS ISRAEL; GOT PLANS TO KILL THE UN AGAIN 10:47  |  PINIT ON HIZ 15/02/07
      22.   When are the French presidential elections? 10:58  |  Yonatan 15/02/07
      23.   Chirac is very clever 11:32  |  Sjoerd 15/02/07
      24.   Haven`t we, Europeans, had enough of 11:34  |  Petra 15/02/07
      25.   Chirac MUST go! 11:40  |  Psalm 15/02/07
      26.   MAUREEN ANN."Ban all nukes" but not WMD`s? because your side has 11:50  |  PETER SM 15/02/07
      27.   Hariri`s poppet 11:51  |  samir 15/02/07
      28.   PINIT ON HIZ.Trouble reading what Chirac said? 11:58  |  PETER SM 15/02/07
      29.   Chirac the feeble 12:36  |  RJK lll 15/02/07
      30.   LIBERTE! EGALITE FRATERNITE AND... 12:40  |  Brant 15/02/07
      31.   Israel`s Famed Intelligentsia 12:47  |  Walid 15/02/07
      32.   Chirac 12:48  |  Scott 15/02/07
      33.   stephen connor on separation by faith 12:52  |  flashman 15/02/07
      34.   johnboy is deliberately offensive 13:02  |  flashman 15/02/07
      35.   johnboy pleading and begging will not do it 13:04  |  flashman 15/02/07
      36.   johnboy "israel controls the gaza crossing by remote" 13:08  |  flashman 15/02/07
      37.   Chirac`s fear for troops 13:10  |  adolek 15/02/07
      38.   johnboy when the locals are displeased they are 13:12  |  flashman 15/02/07
      39.   Now you get the reason for french complain of IAF overflys 13:15  |  Joseph E . 15/02/07
      40.   johnboy why would israel seek to reenter gaza 13:25  |  flashman 15/02/07
      41.   1or2 Atomic Bombs for Iran as "Protection Money" 13:25  |  Alan 15/02/07
      42.   Chirac is indirectly admiting that Siniora and Leb Army 13:25  |  Joseph E . 15/02/07
      43.   Historian Walid is now also a military expert 13:25  |  Fawaz 15/02/07
      44.   johnboy my remark on tosefta`s bilge 13:27  |  flashman 15/02/07
      45.   johnboy "israel is saying that it does not respect the gaza 13:29  |  flashman 15/02/07
      46.   Chirac might want balance in the ME... 13:32  |  Joe 15/02/07
      47.   johnboy"israel can enter gaza at will" 13:33  |  flashman 15/02/07
      48.   peace-loving French 13:33  |  christoph 15/02/07
      49.   in short johnboy you lie and lie again and deliberately 13:37  |  flashman 15/02/07
      50.   French troops go home! 13:44  |  Jonathan S 15/02/07
      51.   Typical of Chirac`s cowardice........ 13:49  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      52.   # 19 S Beautiful Israel...... 13:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      53.   # 22 Yonatan.and like minded respondents.. 13:53  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      54.   Thank god he is history 13:53  |  Danny - Israeli one 15/02/07
      55.   A very complicated position 13:56  |  Michel Assayag 15/02/07
      56.   Il y a un ver dans la pomme 13:59  |  Tony Anthony 15/02/07
      57.   hizbuallah 14:15  |  walid 15/02/07
      58.   Iran and Israel - Two peas in a Pod 14:15  |  dana 15/02/07
      59.   # 19 S. La belle France indeed........ 14:17  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      60.   # 16 jean marie. CHIRAC WAITING? 14:26  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      61.   Swiss (Dino) #52 14:28  |  S 15/02/07
      62.   Games the French Play 14:33  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/02/07
      63.   And or or? 14:49  |  sh 15/02/07
      64.   #48 Christoph 14:50  |  Itsik 15/02/07
      65.   Chirac, the French, Iran 14:52  |  Gene 15/02/07
      66.   #9 Indrajaya 14:54  |  Itsik 15/02/07
      67.   # 7 Maureen Ann 15:00  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      68.   Indrajaya 15:02  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      69.   Walid 15:06  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      70.   Chirac is a wimp. 15:07  |  albert amato 15/02/07
      71.   Jonathan S 15:08  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      72.   # 66, ITSIK 15:09  |  indrajaya 15/02/07
      73.   For Danny - Israeli 1, on Chirac 15:10  |  Clickfool 15/02/07
      74.   # 66, ITSIK 15:11  |  indrajaya 15/02/07
      75.   # 52 Swiss 15:14  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      76.   # 61 S 15:18  |  Swiss(Dino) 15/02/07
      77.   # 52 Swiss (Dino) ARE YOU TRYING TO BE CONTROVERSIAL? 15:20  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      78.   # 46 Joe.CHIRAC DOESN`T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE. SORRY... 15:22  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      79.   Hesitatores ? 15:29  |  Walid 15/02/07
      80.   muslim leader 15:29  |  abdul 15/02/07
      81.   # 75 Lynn 15:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      82.   # 33 #34 # 35 flashman. IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN???... 15:36  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      83.   Champs-Elysees 15:43  |  truth 15/02/07
      84.   An Effort To Compliment The French Gone Wrong 15:44  |  Tony Anthony 15/02/07
      85.   # 77 Kath, I am afraid, you have lost something else..... 15:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      86.   Sh 15:47  |  Walid 15/02/07
      87.   # 75 Lynn.re:Swiss and FREE REPUBLIC... 15:50  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      88.   # 80 abdul 15:59  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      89.   # 84 tony Anthony 16:00  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      90.   To Lynn about the Swiss ploy 16:01  |  Jonathan S 15/02/07
      91.   #74 Indrajaya 16:06  |  Itsik 15/02/07
      92.   Walid who is arranging for peace in the region 16:08  |  Fawaz 15/02/07
      93.   is the palestinian calling israel tribal 16:09  |  harzion 15/02/07
      94.   # 85 Dino (Swiss) SORRY,YOU ARE REPEATING YOURSELF... 16:11  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      95.   #9 - so much hatred in your heart 16:11  |  ross 15/02/07
      96.   Lynn 16:12  |  Walid 15/02/07
      97.   dana israel and iran schism etc etc 16:12  |  harzion 15/02/07
      98.   dana "israel`s weird pronouncements" 16:14  |  harzion 15/02/07
      99.   dana "both may be deluded or not" 16:17  |  harzion 15/02/07
      100.   Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys 16:18  |  Barry 15/02/07
      101.   dana says israel is "a medieval society weighing it down" 16:21  |  harzion 15/02/07
      102.   dana "israel wants to use the nuclear bomb against the arabs" 16:22  |  harzion 15/02/07
      103.   Fawaz 16:28  |  Walid 15/02/07
      104.   #92 Fawaz 16:29  |  Itsik 15/02/07
      105.   Typical 16:35  |  Danite 15/02/07
      106.   Swiss ( Dino) 16:39  |  Chaval 15/02/07
      107.   Walid and his denial of reality 16:39  |  Danite 15/02/07
      108.   dana 16:43  |  Danite 15/02/07
      109.   Itsik, you are an Israeli, but you are a good man, 16:44  |  Fawaz 15/02/07
      110.   # 92 Fawaz 16:49  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      111.   a question for lebanon that needs an answer 17:01  |  yirmiyahu 15/02/07
      112.   Blatant Evidence of the Direct Iran-Hezbullah Connection 17:06  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/02/07
      113.   # 94 Kath No glasses needed...... 17:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      114.   23. Sjoerd: ?Chirac is very clever? 17:11  |  KUTW 15/02/07
      115.   # 106 Chaval 17:12  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      116.   chirac 17:12  |  TAZ 15/02/07
      117.   France is on way to being Islamic country anyway 17:27  |  Michael Korn 15/02/07
      118.   #109 Fawaz 17:30  |  Itsik 15/02/07
      119.   to jean marie in france,you must be so proud of chirac,lmfao 17:52  |  terrornator 15/02/07
      120.   Typical French 17:56  |  Jason 15/02/07
      121.   WHAT A COWARD 18:07  |  ISAAC 15/02/07
      122.   # 113 Dino (Swiss) AGREED,OH YES!!! 18:11  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      123.   French 18:16  |  Igor D. 15/02/07
      124.   Chirac is a senile old goat and nobody should pay attention ! 18:16  |  Toronto`s Finest 15/02/07
      125.   Chirac is the best 18:27  |  Angel of wind 15/02/07
      126.   Get Rid of This Fool Before He Does More Harm 18:28  |  bimmer 15/02/07
      127.   craven: so if Israel were to threaten French troops 18:34  |  Paul Freedman 15/02/07
      128.   Danite 18:35  |  Walid 15/02/07
      129.   # 117 Michael Korn 18:35  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      130.   No proof...more Israeli fantasy and prejuidice 18:43  |  Tim 15/02/07
      131.   To Swiss (Dino) and Kath 18:47  |  S 15/02/07
      132.   #127 Paul Freedman - Exactly. Good Post. 18:48  |  bimmer 15/02/07
      133.   So what`s the point of having those troops there at all? 18:51  |  Marwan مروان خو 15/02/07
      134.   walid 18:51  |  Abby 15/02/07
      135.   Lynn 18:51  |  Michael Korn 15/02/07
      136.   Iran has many hostages 18:56  |  Tosefta 15/02/07
      137.   # 122 Kath 19:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      138.   I think Nadav has this one right. The issue is not France 19:11  |  Jacob Blues 15/02/07
      139.   # 131 S 19:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/02/07
      140.   So why does this mini-power still have permanant SC seat? 19:23  |  Voice of Reason 15/02/07
      141.   Iran has rockets that could fly right into Paris --so 19:27  |  Sal 15/02/07
      142.   Abby 19:27  |  Walid 15/02/07
      143.   #132: maybe not true 19:32  |  Paul Freedman 15/02/07
      144.   # 137 Dino(Swiss)re:"S" WELL,IF YOU READ "S" TO YOU AND ME? 19:32  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      145.   if iran would happen to get some balls, and attack 19:47  |  terrornator 15/02/07
      146.   Cipora # 5 & Yonatan # 22 19:53  |  Philippe 15/02/07
      147.   Can you say Vichy?? 19:56  |  Viet Nam Vet 15/02/07
      148.   Advice to Chirac 20:00  |  Tosefta 15/02/07
      149.   Michael Korn 20:14  |  Walid 15/02/07
      150.   US: Iran a Strategic Threat 20:23  |  Bruriah Sarah 15/02/07
      151.   to #114 KUTW 20:27  |  Mike 15/02/07
      152.   The French reasoning and Iran 20:40  |  Ed 15/02/07
      153.   Chirac`s fear "Hezbollah will strike"-UN decision: HEZB to DISARM 20:42  |  Vittorio 15/02/07
      154.   Just Great, the protectors of peace are chickens 20:46  |  Jon 15/02/07
      155.   to sal # 141so what if iran has missles that could fly right into 20:54  |  terrornator 15/02/07
      156.   Chirac - arriving with an offer of appeasement...right on time 20:57  |  William 15/02/07
      157.   Sjoerd is right 21:13  |  christa 15/02/07
      158.   Flip... Flop 21:15  |  Ari 15/02/07
      159.   Tosefta: After reading your radical letter to Chirac... 21:23  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/02/07
      160.   Tosefta: After reading your radical letter to Chirac... 21:24  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/02/07
      161.   # 135 bienvenue, Michael Korn 21:32  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      162.   I hope that the first iranian bomb falls on paris 21:33  |  Rafa 15/02/07
      163.   # 155 terrornator. re: sal#141.JUST SENT HIM A POST... 21:34  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      164.   Hoisted on your (or our) own petard 21:36  |  Colin Wright 15/02/07
      165.   #148, advice for Tosefta 21:36  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/02/07
      166.   Advice to Tosefta 22:04  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      167.   # 148 Tosefta. PERSISTENT AS EVER.............. 22:04  |  Kath` 15/02/07
      168.   dana 22:10  |  Sarah 15/02/07
      169.   Jacques "Apres moi la deluge" Chirac 22:15  |  Polybios 15/02/07
      170.   Cipora # 164 22:16  |  Philippe 15/02/07
      171.   Vittorio #153 22:16  |  Polybios 15/02/07
      172.   to kath #162, the spelling of chirac with a q,i didnt notice,but 22:21  |  terrornator 15/02/07
      173.   Martian logic (Bird from Outerspace #164) 22:26  |  Tosefta 15/02/07
      174.   Walid You know it all 22:35  |  Michael Korn 15/02/07
      175.   Chirac the Coward and the Crook 22:37  |  Seb 15/02/07
      176.   Walid 22:38  |  Danite 15/02/07
      177.   So i say bienvenue to France`s thank you to USA 22:41  |  Michael Korn 15/02/07
      178.   Itsik #64, although you won`t probably read it 22:47  |  christoph 15/02/07
      179.   151. Mike 22:57  |  KUTW 15/02/07
      180.   Chirac missed another opportunity to shut up 23:02  |  Frederique 15/02/07
      181.   N. Korea vs. Iran (Ronnie Wolman #160) 23:06  |  Tosefta 15/02/07
      182.   #170, Philippe 23:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/02/07
      183.   Chirac 23:21  |  JCT 15/02/07
      184.   #173, Tosefta, I have worshiped at the feet of Athena 23:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/02/07
      185.   Tosefta: What came first? 23:25  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/02/07
      186.   easing "pressure" on French "soldiers?" 23:25  |  ray 15/02/07
      187.   isn`t that typical french from ww1 on. 23:38  |  ralph 15/02/07
      188.   Chirac needs a wake up call 23:41  |  mitch charles 15/02/07
      189.   to tosefta # 173 the reason chirac stayed out of the iraq mess is 23:44  |  terrornator 15/02/07
      190.   # 179 Frederique 23:59  |  Lynn 15/02/07
      191.   #189 Terrornator; Chirac and Saddam 00:01  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      192.   # 178 Frederique. re:Mr.Chirac. MAY I BE FUNNY AND SAY... 00:12  |  Kath` 16/02/07
      193.   Frederique# 180 00:15  |  Philippe 16/02/07
      194.   Martian logic, II (Bird from Outerspace #173) 00:23  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      195.   # 190 Lynn 00:26  |  Frederique 16/02/07
      196.   Chiraq with "q", terrornator and Kath` 00:43  |  christoph 16/02/07
      197.   Advice to Lynn #166 00:43  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      198.   Cipora # 184 00:53  |  Philippe 16/02/07
      199.   Bravo! Bravo! Monsieur Chirac 01:26  |  Dutch 16/02/07
      200.   #189 Terrornator; Chirac and Saddam 01:50  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      201.   CLASSIC FRENCHAMN 01:56  |  Tzvi 16/02/07
      202.   # 192 christoph. GO AND READ #141 Sal..... 03:00  |  Kath` 16/02/07
      203.   Martian logic, II (Bird from Outerspace #173) 04:01  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      204.   #189 Terrornator; Chirac and Saddam 04:02  |  Tosefta 16/02/07
      205.   Fawaz, after seeing what happened... 04:49  |  MaryRose 16/02/07
      206.   # 193 Tosefta 05:08  |  Lynn 16/02/07
      207.   Does not fit the apologists image of Hisbula.Defenders of Lebanon 05:30  |  PETER SM 16/02/07
      208.   to tosefta# 195 i think a picture is in order,but not for me 06:13  |  terrornator 16/02/07
      209.   to christoph #192 actually,kath and i dont really care what you 06:23  |  terrornator 16/02/07
      210.   to tosefta # 195,im not talking about the money lost in the 06:50  |  terrornator 16/02/07
      211.   The French Terror-Response Alarm Code ... 06:53  |  Hal 16/02/07
      212.   Chirac ... unbelievable! Chirac makes me proud I have Bush! 06:58  |  USA 16/02/07
      213.   France must be removed from the UN Security Council. Pronto! 07:26  |  AV 16/02/07
      214.   Michael Korn 07:30  |  Walid 16/02/07
      215.   Danite 07:47  |  Walid 16/02/07
      216.   #197, Tosefta 08:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/02/07
      217.   Chirac 23:44  |  Nemesis 16/02/07
      218.   Chirac, Why are you... 03:57  |  Cheryl 17/02/07
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