Q - The New York Times recently alluded to comments by a high-ranking French official about Iran's nuclear program. Do you have anything to say on Iran's double language regarding its nuclear program?

A - You know that as a general a rule we don't comment on articles in the press. But in this case, two things at least should be noted all the same.

The first is that the comments attributed to this mysterious high-ranking official, supposing he did actually say them, reflect only his point of view.

As to the substance, and this is the second point, as we said at the time, the meetings Iranian Foreign Minister Kharazi had with President Chirac and his French counterpart Michel Barnier were very frank, very cordial. As I said at the time, the talks focused on the situation in Iraq and on Iran's nuclear program. With regard to the latter, as you know, the dialogue we started with Teheran, with our German and British partners on October 21, has continued. We have every intention of continuing it and expect it to produce positive results. There is a process of confidence-building on this question. This implies that in the main areas of work which were, may I remind you, Teheran's signing of the additional protocol-which has been done and needs only to be ratified-cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA) and suspending enrichment and reprocessing activities-that there should be progress in these three areas and should continue to be gains. The next date as you know is the meeting of the IAEA board of governors in June at which time the agency's director general, Mr. El Baradei, will, in due course, present a report on the whole of this cooperation with Iran.

To sum up then, dialogue is continuing, and we have every intention of continuing it, we expect it to produce positive results, and all this in a frank and cordial climate.