France's Fabius Hails Iran’s Positive Role in Dealing with Regional Crises


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Ahead of his Wednesday visit to Tehran and amid criticisms and calls for his apology over France’s contaminated blood products scandal, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has written an exclusive op-ed for an Iranian newspaper, calling for increased Tehran-Paris cooperation.

In an article published in Iran Newspaper on Tuesday morning, Fabius has explained the goals behind his Wesnesday visit to Iran.

His article came after Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi and a number of Iranian lawmakers have called on the French official to apologize for his involvement in a scandal in which contaminated blood products imported from France infected Iranian hemophiliacs with H.I.V. back in the 1980s.

Here is the full text of Fabius’s note printed in the Iranian newspaper:

 

Joint Measure for a Safer World

After years of tough but constructive negotiations, at the invitation of my colleague Mohammad Javad Zarif, I will visit Tehran and I am pleased with this trip.

The French have always been attracted by Iran, especially the heritage of this ancient culture and the share of this country in the history of science and thought. Iranian students have done wonders to us; they are the image of Iran at the French universities and are shining well. Today conditions are ripe for the improvement and promotion of exchanges between the two countries.

Important nuclear agreement of July 14 is a rotation. In order to make this rotation a success, it is necessary for the parties to implement the commitments they have undertaken in accordance with the agreed calendar. It is only upon this provision that efforts that all parties have made will make confidence possible.

For long, owners of industries in the two countries have been cooperating with each other. The French technology and products are creditable and we know that are responsive to the demands of the consumers and Iranian entrepreneurs. From now on, new prospects will be opened for the two countries and we can proceed even farther in economic cooperation.

Therefore, the way is open for the resumption and continuation of bilateral talks. France is always a power of security and peace, and even at the time when approaches were different, it has had relations with Iran based on respect and precision. It is upon such a mentality that I travel to Iran and will discuss all the issues with the Iranian officials on the basis of this same mentality. We will especially talk about issues related to peace and security in the Middle East, a region which is entangled with high tensions. Iran as an influential country can play a positive role in confronting with these crises and disasters. The agreement we have achieved has created specific responsibilities for Iran and for us.

We seek to take measure for a safer world and it is necessary for Iran to possess all its shares in this world. This is the message I take to Tehran.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development of the Republic of France.