By SPA
United Nations : France’s Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is set to meet with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad AlBaradei, in Paris to discuss Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, SPA learned Tuesday.
Speaking to SPA at the United Nations, Kouchner confirmed the meeting with the chief of the nuclear watchdog.
“It will be very interesting and I hope he [AlBaradei] will listen to us too and it will be a sort of dialogue,” Kouchner said.
Asked by SPA what concerns he will raise with AlBaradei, the French foreign minister said he would “have to wait until after the meeting” before elaborating to the media.
Kouchner’s meeting with AlBaradei takes place as the Security Council’s five permanent members – France, the United Kingdom, United States, Russia and China – push for a new draft resolution on Iran’s nuclear activity.
If the proposed resolution is adopted, it will be the third time the Security Council has issued economic and trade sanctions against the country in an effort to convince Tehran to stop its uranium enrichment activities.
Commenting on the process of passing an economic and trade sanctions on Iran, France’s UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters on January 29, it is an “inclusive process” and that he wants to “get everyone on board on Iran.”
Kouchner visited the U.N. on Tuesday for Security Council consultations on the issue of children and armed conflict. Kouchner called the consultations a “success,” following the 15-member council’s passage of a presidential statement condemning child soldier recruiters.