France FM says Paris to recognize Ahmadinejad’s re-election
Updated: Thursday, July 16, 2009
Photographer: US State Department Photo
Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister
16:30GMT—11:30AM/EST
Washington, 16 July (WashingtonTV)—France will recognize Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, but will also build ties with the movement opposing the hard-line president, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Thursday.
Kouchner said that since Ahmadinejad has been proclaimed president, it would be “useless and counterproductive” for France alone to reject this, reports AFP.
However, he told lawmakers in parliament that Paris should continue to support an opposition movement “with a future among the Iranian people.”
France should “multiply” its contacts with that movement and “continue to oppose what’s going on in terms of nuclear energy,” Kouchner added.
Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in the 12 June election triggered a wave of protests across the country. Two of his defeated rivals have refused to recognize his government, alleging that votes were rigged.
However, the top electoral body, the Guardian Council, ratified Ahmadinejad’s win, after a random recount of ten percent of the ballots.
Ahmadinejad will be sworn-in between 2 and 6 August, the deputy speaker of the Majlis [parliament], Mohammadreza Bahonar, said on Tuesday, according to the ILAN news agency.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, ILNA news agency
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