Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Wed 12 Dec 2006French foreign minister questions Royal's positions on Middle EastFRANCE: The French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal has shocked the French political establishment by adopting a more intransigent line on Iran's nuclear programme than even the US or Israel.If she is elected next spring, Ms Royal said in the last press conference of her five-day Middle East trip, she will oppose the Islamic Republic having a civil nuclear power programme.