Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi of the Islamic Republic of Iran will have a meeting with President Chirac tomorrow at 6:15 p.m.
Foreign Minister Barnier will meet with him at 4 p.m.
This is a working visit in the context of the dialogue between France, Europe and Iran. It affords an opportunity to discuss the main regional questions, particularly the situation in Iraq and the Iranian nuclear question.
You will remember that Hojatoleslam Hassan Rohani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was in France January 14 and 15, 2004 and was also received by the head of state at that time.
Q - About Mr. Kharrazi's visit. What concerns will France raise regarding the nuclear question in Iran?
As you know, ever since the agreement reached in Teheran on October 21 between the three foreign ministers--French, German and British--and the Iranian authorities, a process has been underway. This process is based on the IAEA's evaluation of what is happening in Iran in the nuclear domain and also on the cooperation of the Iranian authorities with the agency, which presupposes transparency in this domain vis-Ã -vis the international community.
So there's a process of developing mutual confidence which has been punctuated by several meetings of the IAEA board of governors. The next meeting is scheduled for June, and so we're being attentive.
Q - Iran is in order?
It will for Mr. El Baradei to make a new evaluation in his next report. But at this time we're having frequent dialogue with the Iranian authorities in order to monitor this process.
Q - There's frequent talk of Iraq's commitments but one doesn't hear much about the commitments of the three European partners, namely France, Britain and Germany to provide more sophisticated technology for a civilian nuclear program. Have the three partners honored their commitments vis-Ã -vis Teheran? I'm referring to the letter co-signed by the three foreign ministers.
That's perhaps not the right way to put the problem. What was said at the time was that it was about building confidence through cooperation, transparency, the efforts made by the Iranian government to meet the expectations of the international community. It was said at the time that once that confidence existed, a number of things would become possible. So there's a sequence. Let's leave it at that.