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Editorial See other Editorial Articles Title: France wrecks P5+1 deal for Arab money PressTV: File photo showing closed-door talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on November 9.Sun Nov 10, 2013 3:2PM GMT 8123 24 By Finian CunninghamShare | Email | Print Related Interviews: ‘Israel sabotaging nuclear talks’ ‘Israel allied with Saudis’ against IranThe French deal-breaking intervention at the P5+1 negotiation with Iran may have been motivated by France wanting to ingratiate itself with the Persian Gulf monarchies for strategic economic reasons. Negotiations to resolve the nuclear deadlock and lift economic sanctions on Iran appeared to be near a breakthrough agreement after three days of talks in the Swiss capital, Geneva, over the weekend. The hasty arrival of US Secretary of State John Kerry as well as the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany raised expectations that a potential deal was in the offing. But it was the French diplomat, Laurent Fabius, who threw a spanner in the works at the last-minute. Fabius invoked “security concerns of Israel” and announced that his country was not going to sign a draft agreement. The French intervention appeared to catch participants by surprise. An unnamed Western diplomat told Reuters, “The Americans, the EU and the Iranians have been working intensively for months on this proposal and this is nothing more than an attempt by Fabius to insert himself into relevance late in the negotiations.” However, contrary to Fabius’ words and speculation by some analysts, the French motive seem less about appeasing Israel and France’s formidable Jewish lobby, and more to do with pandering to the Persian Gulf Arab monarchies of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli opposition to any deal with Iran over the 10-year nuclear dispute is, of course, obvious. On the eve of the latest talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was almost apoplectic in urging Western states to reject “a deal of the century for Iran.” Equally as disconcerted about a possible accord were the Wahhabi monarchies led by Saudi Arabia, which view Shia Iran as an archenemy for influence in the Middle East. Only days before the latest round of P5+1 talks in Geneva, former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al Faisal told the Washington Post in an interview that his country was opposed to lifting sanctions on Iran. One of the most striking political developments in recent months is the alignment of Israel with the House of Saud and the other Persian Gulf Arab regimes in terms of foreign policy objectives and adversity towards Iran. Another salient development has been the strategic economic cooperation between France and the Persian Gulf oil kingdoms. Major sectors of interest include energy, water and electrical infrastructure, construction and weapons sales. The French government has been embarking on an aggressive bilateral investment drive with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. In April this year, Paris hosted a Saudi-French Business Opportunities Forum attended by 500 businessmen from both countries. French ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bertrand Besancenot, said, “Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner of France in the region and the bilateral relationship is of paramount importance in the economic field,” pointing out that bilateral trade has doubled over the last five years. In July, French company Veolia won a $500 million contract to build and operate water desalination plants in Saudi Arabia. That contract is reckoned to be the biggest of its kind in the Middle East, and from the French point of view, it is a model for the future, given that water and electricity infrastructure right across the Persian Gulf oil kingdoms is a vital development need for decades to come. France is also courting capital investment and commerce from Qatar and the UAE. At stake is the purchase of French Rafale fighter jets worth billions of dollars underlined by the fact that France is in sharp competition with arms exporters from the US, Britain and Germany. Another lucrative sector that the French are eyeing in the Persian Gulf Arab countries is nuclear energy. French nuclear company Areva is vying with Western competitors to build and operate nuclear energy plants in the UAE, which is something of an irony given France’s apparent objections to Iranian plans for the same technology. “France calls for increased investment from Qatar,” read a headline in the Financial Times on 24 June. The report said, “French President François Hollande used a weekend visit to Qatar to call for more investment from the gas-rich Gulf state to boost job creation in France.” The FT added, “Mr Hollande told business leaders he hoped more Qatari money could be lured into France’s services and industrial sectors, with a reciprocal rise in French companies implementing the grand development ambitions of this fast-growing Gulf state.” And the Qataris have obliged Hollande’s plea for funds. The two countries have set up a joint investment vehicle worth some $400 million to direct Qatari petrodollars towards French businesses. So far, Qatar’s total investment in France has reached an estimated $15 billion, with shares in flagship French companies, such as energy giant Total, construction firm Vinci, media business Legardere, water and electricity supplier Veolia, and even football team Paris Saint Germain. Qatar’s ruling Al Thani dynasty has also been buying up luxury Paris real estates. When France’s Hollande visited Qatar in June, he brazenly pitched his country as an alternative foreign investment destination to Britain and Germany. France’s deteriorating economic situation and Hollande’s slump in the polls - he is the most unpopular French leader ever - can only but intensify the French dependence on Persian Gulf Arab money. This week, the international credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s downgraded France for the second time on the back of ballooning national debt, trade deficit and unemployment. In this context it becomes clear why France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius acted to scupper the P5+1 talks this weekend in Geneva. By wrecking a potential deal with Iran, Fabius was no doubt bidding to please Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf Arab regimes with a view to securing billions-of-dollars-worth of urgently needed capital. Mouthing disingenuous concerns, Fabius vandalized with a spanner in one hand and a begging bowl surreptitiously in the other. FC/PR Finian Cunningham (born 1963) has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Master’s graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. Originally from Belfast, Ireland, he is now located in East Africa as a freelance journalist, where he is writing a book on Bahrain and the Arab Spring, based on eyewitness experience working in the Persian Gulf as an editor of a business magazine and subsequently as a freelance news correspondent. The author was deported from Bahrain in June 2011 because of his critical journalism in which he highlighted systematic human rights violations by regime forces. He is now a columnist on international politics for Press TV and the Strategic Culture Foundation. Poster Comment: Ashraf ......Arabs of Persian gulf ALWAYS loved and spend money on France......Billions!!...... Nothing new......From Casino's to their women in Cabarets........While French fu fu...their Burka ........& laugh at their FOOLISHNESS....& their love for expensive fast cars ......& designer Rolex watches..........& Their love for their make up industries.......Without Arab money spent on SUPERFICIALITY & MATERIALISTIC stuff provided by France.....France economy would be in same shamble as Greeks ....So this is NOT NEW.....It s Israel.....As always Only Israel........Responsible for this sabotage......As Zionists of UK/ US/France.......Have been taking Turn .......To DECIVE their public to the TURTH.........To cover up the fact......That They give more importance to the Israel's well being........Then they EVER DO to their own citizens!!........Regardless of the FACT Israel has Nuclear Weapons & is a dangerous entity......& some day, if not deal with properly .........Will Turn AGAINST THEM!! +6 BNDT Makes total sense, I was thinking how much was France paid and by who. Of course UK and US are looking forward to do trade with Iran, so they are all looking after their economic interests. In the long run Iran is the better horse to bet on economically and in every other way as a powerhouse that has more than oil, they have an educated population with drive that is also supporting the government.... and they have thousands of years of culture . I know the French has a real problem and is looking to the Persian Gulf states for business, done so for many years... funny they never really went global on trade lines like US and UK... and I think to a degree the rest of Europe has done. Well !! I think the real super powers Russia, China and US will have to handle France's considerations and throw them a bone.+5 here and now There are two things that a country must avoid if it wants to be sovereign and have an indepedent and strong economy...zionist infiltration of its political and financial systems and wahhabi oil money....seems that France leaders since the 1970's and obvious since Sarkozy chose to surrender and commit suicide against the will of its population. +7 Tatarewicz: "here and now" may have something here and now. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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