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Putin plays down Iran bomb fears | Putin plays down Iran bomb fears |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Moscow has no information that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. | Moscow has no information that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. |
But he said the Kremlin shared the West's concern that Tehran's nuclear programme should be "transparent". | |
Mr Putin was speaking after talks in Moscow with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who said the two countries had made progress on the Iran issue. | Mr Putin was speaking after talks in Moscow with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who said the two countries had made progress on the Iran issue. |
Iran denies accusations that it is seeking to build a nuclear bomb, saying its programme is for civilian use. | Iran denies accusations that it is seeking to build a nuclear bomb, saying its programme is for civilian use. |
"We do not have data that says Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons," Mr Putin said at a joint news conference with Mr Sarkozy. | |
"Therefore we proceed from a position that Iran has no such plans but we share the concern of our partners that all programmes should be as transparent as possible," the Russian leader added. | "Therefore we proceed from a position that Iran has no such plans but we share the concern of our partners that all programmes should be as transparent as possible," the Russian leader added. |
Kosovo issue | |
Mr Sarkozy, for his part, said Paris and Moscow had made progress towards resolving differences over Iran. | |
He said their positions were moving "towards the same path", but gave no details. | |
Mr Sarkozy has been pushing for tougher sanctions against Tehran but Russia has opposed the move. Mr Putin is due to visit Iran next week. | |
Mr Sarkozy said earlier that the two leaders had also bridged differences over Kosovo's future status. | |
Russia is fiercely opposed to independence for Serbia's breakaway province, while France - along with other Western nations - supports it. | Russia is fiercely opposed to independence for Serbia's breakaway province, while France - along with other Western nations - supports it. |
There was also a reminder of European concerns about Russia's human rights record, the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says. | |
Mr Sarkozy confirmed that he would meet members of a group critical of the situation in Chechnya, our correspondent says. |