Cablegate: Media Reaction: Iran, El Baradei's Report; Sao Paulo

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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7680
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8441
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STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

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TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, EL BARADEI'S REPORT; SAO PAULO

"El Baradei's Report Is Ambiguous And Crucial"

Center-right national circulation daily O Estado de S. Paulo's Paris
correspondent Giles Lapouge commented (11/17): "IAEA Director
Mohamed El Baradei's report on Iran's nuclear program is ambiguous.
He admits to be unable to state whether Iran's nuclear program has a
civilian or a military purpose. What is certain, however, is that El
Baradei is pessimistic. And this is something new. He was accused in
Washington of being too complacent in regards to Iranian whims. This
is changing.... He has shown less leniency vis-`-vis Tehran's
leaders.... The US has announced since Thursday that it will draft
with its partners a third UN 'wave of sanctions.' The UK and
especially France accompany Washington's mood.... The Paris-Tehran
relationship is at its lowest level since Sarkozy's election. For
Ahmadinejad, Sarkozy's most serious sin is to have explicitly
aligned with the US on topics such financial sanctions against Iran.
For Tehran, the worst is that France seems to have aligned also with
Washington's bellicose positions."
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