JERUSALEM, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with visiting French President Francois Hollande on Sunday evening, thanking him for his country's tough stance towards the Iranian nuclear plan.
Netanyahu and Hollande held a joint press conference following a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem where they stressed the importance of the ties between the two countries and their cooperation concerning the P5+1 nations talks with Iran taking place in Geneva.

"I want to thank you for your support," Netanyahu told Hollande. "As you said correctly, in critical times it's important to stand up for what's right," the prime minister said.

Netanyahu applauded Hollande for "personally taking the tougher and firmer stance," referring to France's lead in opposing an interim agreement, while reiterating his stance that a "bad deal is better than no deal."

However, Netanyahu added that he opposed any agreement that will reduce the international community's sanctions on Iran while allowing Iran to give "practically nothing" in return.

He said that Israel supports a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the dispute, but expressed dismay about the current deal allowing Iran to enrich uranium. Citing Iran's satisfaction with the proposed deal, he said that "Iran's dream deal is the world's nightmare."

The French President echoed Netanyahu's sentiments. "Of course we prefer a good deal to a bad deal. Our goal is that Iran would renounce nuclear weapons," Hollande said on Sunday, adding that he prefers a diplomatic solution than the execution of military force.

"There has been progress in the negotiations with Iran, but not enough," Hollande said regarding the P5+1 meetings in Geneva.

He said that his country has four demands for an interim agreement with Iran, including the full supervision by the international community of all of Iran's nuclear facilities, the suspension uranium enrichment, a decrease in the stockpile of enriched uranium and the shutting down of the heavy waters reactor in Arak.

"We're looking for guarantees and during this time we should keep the pressure on Iran," he said, adding that if the sanctions were not tough, Iran would not have made its recent overtures to the West.

Hollande did not expand on the issue of the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. He did say that France's stance on the settlements as well as Europe's is well-known and commended the Israeli gesture of releasing Palestinian prisoners to help boost negotiations.

The two leaders also announced the countries would be strengthening ties by cooperating on technology issues including energy solutions and public transportation, as well as in the fields of science and education.

By Xinhua

 

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