Sarkozy has stern words at U.N. for Russia, Iran

By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Russia after its war with Georgia that force cannot be used to settle disputes and made plain to Iran he would push hard for a new round of sanctions over its nuclear program. "What Europe is telling Russia is that we want links with Russia, that we want to build a shared future with Russia, we wanted to be Russia's partner," Sarkozy said in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. "Europe is also telling Russia ... it cannot compromise on the principle of states' sovereignty and independence, their territorial integrity, or respect for international law," said Sarkozy, who presides over France's European Union presidency. Russia invaded Georgia last month to thwart an attempt by the Georgian military to retake the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Sarkozy brokered a ceasefire to end the conflict, although the United States and EU countries have sharply criticized Russia for what they described as its excessive use of force. "Europe's message to all states is that it cannot accept the use of force to settle a dispute," he said. Sarkozy also said the EU would never tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran, "which would endanger the peace and stability of an entire region, nor can it tolerate Iran calling for the destruction of ... Israel." He told reporters that Paris fully supported a fourth round of sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its nuclear enrichment program, but acknowledged that Western powers would need Russia's support to pass a new U.N. sanctions resolution. Tehran denies Western charges that it wants nuclear arms. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has said Israel should be wiped off the map, will speak later on Tuesday. Sarkozy also vowed not to abandon Afghanistan and allow "the Taliban allied with al Qaeda again to take a people hostage and turn an entire country into a terrorist base." WAR CRIMES IN DARFUR The French leader also confirmed that France could support a suspension of any International Criminal Court indictment of Sudan`s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for possible war crimes in Darfur, although he made clear that his support would have some tough conditions attached.
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