Iran – Press briefing given by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, following his meeting with Mr Alexander Milinkevitch, leader of the Belorussian movement "Za Svobodu"(excerpts)

Paris, 5 May 2008

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Q. – On the subject of Iran, there was an offer, formulated last Friday, the Group of Six agreed on it, has it been presented to the Iranians?

THE MINISTER – Not yet, that’s why I can’t give you details about it. This proposal will not only be presented but also transmitted to the Iranian authorities. In a few days, a delegation representing the Group of Six will go to Tehran with the letter of proposal. Mr David Miliband who was our host in London – [we were] with the Chinese, Russians, Germans and Americans – hasn’t revealed details about this offer. It’s a small diplomatic demarche but, in the coming days, the offer which has some very specific proposals will indeed be made public.

Q. – This morning there has already been a reaction to the offer. The Iranian Foreign Minister has said that he rejected all interference in what he considers a right to produce and enrich uranium. What do you think?

THE MINISTER – I can’t talk to you about it since the text hasn’t been made public. They reject what they don’t know, but that’s not surprising on the Iranians’ part. They are rejecting an offer which, to my mind, is extremely generous. I find it a bit premature of them to reject it without knowing what it is. I know their position on uranium enrichment. I know that we haven’t – I mean the Six – done a very good job when it comes to informing the Iranian people, but it’s very complicated. We have never prohibited – quite the contrary, we have offered to help the Iranian people and government gain access to civil nuclear power. The people will perhaps be surprised by the text submitted to them and by the positive prospect it opens up. At any event, I hope so./.