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| Sarkozy comments spark Iran row | Sarkozy comments spark Iran row |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Iran has summoned the French ambassador in Tehran over comments made by the French president about his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | Iran has summoned the French ambassador in Tehran over comments made by the French president about his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. |
| Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that he would not be able to shake hands with someone who said Israel had to be wiped off the map. | Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that he would not be able to shake hands with someone who said Israel had to be wiped off the map. |
| Ambassador Bernard Poletti was told of Iran's strong objections. | Ambassador Bernard Poletti was told of Iran's strong objections. |
| He was told there would be repercussions for relations if such remarks were repeated. | He was told there would be repercussions for relations if such remarks were repeated. |
| How is it that a people such as the Iranian people have the misfortune of being represented as they are today by some of their leaders? Nicolas Sarkozy | How is it that a people such as the Iranian people have the misfortune of being represented as they are today by some of their leaders? Nicolas Sarkozy |
| In the speech, given on 8 December on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mr Sarkozy said: "How is it that a people such as the Iranian people - one of the world's greatest peoples, one of the world's oldest civilisations, sophisticated, cultured, open - have the misfortune of being represented as they are today by some of their leaders? | |
| "I have said this to my friend Kofi [Annan]: I find it impossible to shake hands with somebody who has dared to say that Israel must be wiped off the map. | "I have said this to my friend Kofi [Annan]: I find it impossible to shake hands with somebody who has dared to say that Israel must be wiped off the map. |
| "I know perfectly well that we must resolve what is perhaps the most serious international crisis we are having to resolve: that of Iran moving towards a nuclear bomb. | "I know perfectly well that we must resolve what is perhaps the most serious international crisis we are having to resolve: that of Iran moving towards a nuclear bomb. |
| "We cannot resolve it without talking to Iranian leaders, but, after what was the Shoah, after what was the 20th century, I cannot sit at the same table as a man who dares to say: Israel must be wiped off the map." | "We cannot resolve it without talking to Iranian leaders, but, after what was the Shoah, after what was the 20th century, I cannot sit at the same table as a man who dares to say: Israel must be wiped off the map." |
| The Iranian president has repeatedly called for an end to the Israeli state and has described the holocaust as a myth. | The Iranian president has repeatedly called for an end to the Israeli state and has described the holocaust as a myth. |
| In October 2004, the Iranian president made a statement in which he envisaged the replacement of Israel with a Palestinian state. | In October 2004, the Iranian president made a statement in which he envisaged the replacement of Israel with a Palestinian state. |