Kouchner: Iran showed "no seriousness" in talks

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Wednesday that Iran is "a big problem" and that it showed "no seriousness" in talks with international powers on its nuclear programme, DPA reported.

"Iran is a big problem," Kouchner said after meeting Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa in Cairo.

"We in France, as well as others, have held talks with them without any success. They showed no seriousness," the French foreign minister said.

Iran has rejected a December 31 deadline set by the international community to accept a deal to enrich its uranium overseas. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

Kouchner also said that the anti-government protests in Iran is an internal matter and "not our responsibility," but that France monitors the unrest for "humanitarian reasons."

His visit to Egypt is part of a six-nation tour of Africa that is scheduled to take him to Burkina Faso, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Ivory Coast.