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CU French Foreign Minister, Jean Francois-Poncet, listening to question from newsman and answering in English
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SV AND SCU Poncet listening to question from newsman during conference (2 shots)
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GV AND SV EXTERIOR Elysee Palace in Paris with newsmen on steps waiting for arrival of Iraqi Vice Premier (2 shots)
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SV PAN Iraqi Vice Premier, Tarek Aziz, arriving with officials, surrounded by newsmen, and walks down steps to car (3 shots)
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SCU INTERIOR Aziz addressing news conference in English
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QUESTION: "Would France reconsider its policy of sales of nuclear technology to Iraq?"



PONCET: "Frankly, I could see no reason for that. The sale of our nuclear technology, in spite of what was wrongly been said and printed, is exclusively for peaceful use. You have to deny to the countries in that area or elsewhere nuclear technology in itself, if you were to come to that conclusion."



QUESTION: "Given the use to which Iraq has put the weapons it now possesses, in the last few days, how are your negotiations to sell them some more getting along?"



PONCET: "I don't think we had right now negotiations to sell more, there are contracts which exist. As you know they are fairly marginal compared to weapons which Iraq gets from other countries, and we've always considered that there was no point in refusing to supply weapons to one country, obliging that country to turn itself, and to defend for its security from only one supply. And you know in the case of Iraq who that supplier is."



AZIZ: "I didn't ask for arms, we have enough, and we shall not be in need of their (INDISTINCT) armour. I discussed with his Excellence the situation in our area, I explained plainly our position in the conflict between Iraq and Iran, I stated that we have no intention against the Iranians the Iranian territory and the only things we want are those which I stated minutes, ago, which is Iran should ensure our sovereignty over our land and waters. And we want to defend our country from the Iranian aggression."





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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Iraqi Vice Premier Tarek Aziz says his country will do everything in its power to keep up oil supplies to the west. Mr. Aziz promised French President, Valery Giscard D'Estaing, in Paris on Thursday (25 September), that Iraq had no intention of interfering with the free passage of ships through the Straits of Hormuz in the Gulf, through which a quarter of the West's oil supplies have to pass. The Gulf, he said was Arabian and had no need for a policeman. French Foreign Minister, M. Jean Francois-Poncet, was questioned by newsmen at the United Nations on Wednesday (24 September), on the question of France's nuclear technology sales and alleged sales of highly enriched uranium to Iraq.

SYNOPSIS: Mean while at the Elysee Palace, newsmen awaited the arrival of Iraqi Vice Premier, Tarek Aziz. He had met President Giscard, who suggested that the Islamic states should play a special role in finding a peaceful solution to the Iran-Iraq conflict. But, at a later news conference, the Iraqi envoy named pre-conditions for ceasefire negotiations.