President Shimon Peres
Photo: Haim Zach
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Photo: Reuters
Peres urges world to unite against Iran
'If Iran is confronted by a united front, it will change,' president tells French daily, pointing out that Ukraine, Libya, South Africa and North Korea have already given up nuclear weapons due to international pressure
President Shimon Peres called on the world in an interview Tuesday to form a united front against Iran
that would force the Islamic republic to end its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
"If Iran is confronted by a united front, it will change" its policy on the nuclear issue, the veteran statesman added.
"Iran only has power when the world is divided," Peres told France's Le Figaro daily, referring to the stalemate over Iran's nuclear program.
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Peres noted that four countries - Ukraine, Libya, South Africa and North Korea - had already given up nuclear weapons under pressure from the international community.
In the interview Peres also praised Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his party, which sprung from Islamist roots, won a landslide election victory Sunday.
Erdogan "has promised he will continue the same policies, which led to excellent relations between Israel and Turkey, an open and progressive country," Peres said.
On the thorny issue of relations with the Palestinians, Peres said that "economics is the new creed", adding, "We have no need for colonisation."
"I propose to the Palestinians to try first to improve relations, and in parallel, to engage in negotiations," added the Nobel peace prize winner.
