Iranian foreign minister to meet France’s Sarkozy

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is scheduled to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris tomorrow.

It’s the substance, not the timing of the meeting, that is important, a Western source who did not wish to be further identified told The Cable. (Mottaki had apparently been scheduled to come to Paris a few weeks ago, but the visit was postponed.)

Sarkozy’s intent is to "convey the message to Iran that it should seize the opportunity it has" to join international talks over its nuclear program, the official said. "The more people we have conveying" the message to Iran, he said, "the more we increase the prospects that" Iran accepts.

At the last meeting of the so-called P5+1 (the U.S., U.K., France, China, Russia and Germany) in London, the group said it would convey an invitation to Iran to join such talks in the future. The State Department also announced that Washington would participate. Washington was represented at the London talks by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Bill Burns, who was accompanied by NSC Senior Director for Iran Puneet Talwar.

The P5+1 offer, which was delivered to Tehran by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, also included a new concept of "freeze for freeze." Previously, the international group proposed that if Iran would suspend uranium enrichment, the international community would suspend international sanctions for the duration of talks. Now, the P5+1 proposes a freeze on imposing new economic sanctions on Iran, and Iran would freeze installation of new centrifuges, or the introduction of UF6 into any existing centrifuges that haven’t be used yet. (Here’s the 2008 incentives package.)

"As of a week ago, we’re still waiting for an official response [from Iran] on the P5+1 proposal," a State Department official said Tuesday. "Overtures are going on, but there is not much coming the other way." The sense, he said, is that different camps are trying to come to consensus.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet with Sarkozy in France later in the week.

UPDATE: Reports Wednesday sound like it didn’t go very well.

Sarkozy’s press office released this communique late Wednesday:

The French President today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Manoucher Mottaki in order to discuss the risks to peace caused by Iran’s nuclear activities.

The French President immediately condemned today’s remarks by the Iranian President which called the reality of the holocaust into question. He underlined the unacceptable and deeply shocking nature of the remarks. Similarly, the excessive verbal attacks against the State of Israel were unacceptable.

The Head of State underlined our deep concern with regard to Iran’s proliferation activities and reaffirmed our willingness to help find a solution within the framework of a negotiation between Iran and the "Six."

He called on Iran to comply with the Security Council Resolutions and to take part in such a negotiation, which would pave the way for broad cooperation to the benefit of Iran, including with regard to civilian nuclear activities, and for strengthening international and security.

He underlined the importance and seriousness of the approach taken by the "Six" in this process that was initiated by the Europeans and in which the United States was now fully involved.

Failing this, Iran will expose itself to ever increasing international isolation on every level. A solution can be achieved through negotiation: this is the path that France prefers.