France taking attitude of openness and firmness with Iran

France is prepared to move with "openness" to Iran is seeking a solution to the nuclear standoff but will remain firm on Iran's obligations in the area of transparency and compliance with demands of the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a senior official said Monday. "In any event, the French attitude - and I believe it is the attitude shared by the members of the P5+1 - is really not a slogan and is one of openness and firmness," Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said here. He added, in answer to KUNA questions, that "the Iranian authorities have shown a willingness to discuss and negotiate and we should grab this ball while it is on the hop." Lalliot recalled that the Iranian nuclear issue has been a source of discord for over ten years. "If we can find a solution, I think everyone should welcome this, knowing that the time-line is not ten more years," he observed. The spokesman stressed that there would also have to be "fundamental firmness" as "the obligations today weight on Iran" and "they are clear enough and go back a long way." Lalliot pointed out that "there are a certain number of questions Iran must answer" and these have been set out clearly by the IAEA in a number of resolutions adopted by the nuclear watchdog. "Now we must see to what length the Iranians are prepared to go. What is behind the new (statements)," he affirmed. He said that France and its partners would see this "quickly enough" as a first meeting with the Iranians is to take place in two weeks, with another round of talks a week after that. "We have heard commitments on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Security Council resolutions and texts of the IAEA. Let's wait for the upcoming dates (for meetings with Iran)," the spokesman stated. Lalliot declined to comment a reaction from Iran on Tuesday, cautioning US President Barack Obama for potentially harming "trust" between the two sides after Obama said in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu that "all options remain on the table" for action against Iran.