Merkel Calls For Step-By-Step Approach To Iran

Dow Jones Newswires:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday called for a step-by-step diplomatic approach in the standoff with Iran over its nuclear program and warned against moving hastily.

Merkel, speaking at a news conference with President Jacques Chirac, also defended the French leader's threat last week that France might use its nuclear weapons against state-sponsored terrorism or to thwart an attack involving weapons of mass destruction - comments that drew criticism from elsewhere in Europe and from Iran.

Merkel expressed hope that the international community will remain united on the Iran issue, saying she wants "the largest majority possible" for whatever course of action is decided upon by a meeting of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency. READ MORE

"We are on the right path," she said of getting a majority.

The 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency is to meet on Feb. 2 to decide whether to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

Merkel, who was speaking through a translator, did not say whether she favors sanctions. Instead, she spoke of "progressing one step after the other using all the diplomatic means at our disposal."

"That does not mean that we should jump a step or anticipate more than is reasonable," she added.

Chirac said he totally supported Merkel's position.

Iran has dominated both countries' diplomatic activity for the past two weeks, as France, Germany and Britain are leading European efforts to discourage Iran from nuclear activities that some fear hide plans to develop nuclear weapons.

The trio, along with the U.S., is pushing to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its resumption of uranium enrichment.

Merkel also sided with Chirac over his comments last week on France's own nuclear arsenal. Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced Chirac's comments as " unacceptable," and Germany's opposition said they could threaten European credibility in the dispute with Iran.

Merkel said she was "somewhat surprised" that the comments provoked such debate.

"We know that France is a country with nuclear capabilities, capabilities that exist exclusively for deterrence and, for me, there are no grounds there for criticism," she said.

She said it was "perfectly understandable" for France to adapt its nuclear doctrine to deal with "the emergence of new threats."

Chirac said he had simply delivered a reminder of France's nuclear doctrine for a changing world, and "so no one in Germany should be at all worried."

"The nature of the threat, the defintion of a country's vital interests, and thus the very nature of the response that might be employed, evolves with time," he said. "For us, the deterrent remains a life insurance for our vital interests. They can be French or European or of another nature."