U.S., France agree on new sanctions against Iran: Rice
Last Updated: Friday, September 21, 2007 | 3:59 PM ET
CBC News
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner spoke Friday of a common front against Iran's nuclear program that included support for new sanctions against Tehran.
During a joint press conference with Kouchner in Washington, Rice said the United States and France agree on how to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"I think that there's, essentially, no difference in the way that we see the situation in Iran and what the international community must do," Rice told reporters.
The two countries were doing groundwork for a new UN Security Council resolution at a meeting in Washington on Friday of political directors from six major nations that have been trying to negotiate with Iran — Russia, China, Britain and Germany, as well as France and the United States.
The French government under President Nicolas Sarkozy has shifted the country's policies more in line with the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, who had a frosty relationship with Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac, highlighted by France's vocal criticism of the Iraq war.
In a candid interview on French radio last week, Kouchner re-enforced France's tough stance on Iran by declaring his country should prepare for war if Iran obtains nuclear weapons.
Despite Friday's talk of a unified approach on curbing Iran, Kouchner acknowledged politely that some differences between the U.S and France remain.
"Having good relations doesn't mean that we are in complete agreement every day, everywhere," he said. "But we have excellent relations."
Asked what kind of sanctions the United States would like to see approved by the Security Council, Rice was vague.
"We have explored and have used various freezes on assets of individuals. We have used visa bans," she said. "I think that there are any number of ways that we can expand those efforts."
With files from the Associated Press
