Bush, Sarkozy warn Iran
2008-06-14 22:41
Paris - US President George W Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday jointly urged Syria to break with Iran and bluntly warned that they would not let Tehran obtain nuclear weapons.
The two leaders praised their transatlantic ties as Bush neared the end of a farewell Europe tour he said was "dominated" by concerns over the Islamic republic's atomic drive.
"Iran getting a nuclear bomb is unacceptable, that's clear. It's an unacceptable threat for the stability of the world," Sarkozy said, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Bush at a press conference after talks in Paris.
"A nuclear-armed Iran is incredibly destabilising," added Bush, just hours after Tehran rejected new demands to halt uranium enrichment in return for economic and diplomatic incentives.
"It would be a major blow to world peace," Bush said.
'Stop fooling around'
There was no mention of US concern over France's newly warm outreach to Syria, but the two said Damascus must break from Iran, end its support for anti-Israeli militants, and renew formal ties with Lebanon.
When asked what he would tell Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Sarkozy has invited for France's national Bastille Day celebrations in July, Bush replied: "My message would be, stop fooling around with the Iranians."
"Stop harbouring terrorists," he went on, urging Syrian leaders to "make it clear to their Iranian allies that the West is serious when we talk about stopping them" from getting nuclear weapons.
Sarkozy said Syria, which held sway in Lebanon for decades, must guarantee its smaller neighbour's independence and "break as much as possible with Iran" on the nuclear front as the price for better ties with France.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Saturday presented a new offer to Iran on ending the six-year standoff over its nuclear drive but Tehran once again rejected the proposal's key demand to stop enriching uranium, which can be used to make a nuclear bomb.
Disappointed
Bush said Western demands that Iran - which claims its nuclear programme has peaceful aims - freeze uranium enrichment were "just and fair" and he portrayed the United States and Europe as united in confronting Tehran.
"I am disappointed that the (Iranian) leaders rejected this generous offer out of hand. It is an indication to the Iranian people that their leadership is willing to isolate them further," Bush said.
A tough sanctions regime is "the only solution for convincing the Iranians" that they need to bow to international demands, said Sarkozy.
Bush also expressed confidence that Baghdad and Washington would reach a deal on the rules for US forces in Iraq after the UN mandate for the occcuption ends late this year.
"If I were a betting man - we'll reach an agreement with the Iraqis," he said, after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned the talks had stalled over Baghdad's worries about its sovereignty.
"Of course, we're there at their invitation. It's a sovereign nation," said Bush. "We're going to work hard to accommodate their desires. It's their country."
- AFP