"...Essentially, the memo, written by high-ranking French diplomat Gérard Araud, summarizes a conversation he had with the Treasury Department's point man on terrorism and financial intelligence, Stuart Levey, in which Levey lobbies Araud to pressure the Obama administration for a tougher stance, including stronger sanctions, towards Iran...This leak confirms the basic point underlying my argument, namely that the French line on Iran is a bit tougher than what the Obama administration is shooting for. But it also reveals the factional infighting on just what line to take, not only in Washington (Levey is a Bush administration holdover), but also in Paris. The French Foreign Ministry claims the document was leaked on purpose, in order to portray the French as pro-Israeli and borderline neoconservative. And while the French diplomatic corps is pretty disciplined, this isn't the first time I've come across evidence of discontent with the Sarkozy-Kouchner regime among the career diplomats.
Meanwhile, U.S. diplomats have reportedly told their French counterparts that the U.S. will withhold sharing sensitive information on the Iranian nuclear dossier until the source of the leak is brought to light.
This could be a tempest in a teapot. But it bears keeping an eye on."
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