France wants quick decision on Iran oil purchase ban

PARIS, Nov 22 (Reuters) - France said on Tuesday it was pushing hard to convince allies to impose sanctions on Iran's oil exports and central bank, despite concerns among other Western governments that such moves could hurt the world economy as well as Tehran.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero would not say whether France, which has increased its own imports of Iranian oil this year, would freeze those imports unilaterally.

He said he did not expect that Paris would fail to convince others to join it in stopping oil imports and freezing Iranian central bank assets - though some argue such action would drive up global oil prices and so hurt Western economies.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed that twin approach as a way of pressing Tehran to halt its nuclear programme. But in imposing their own unilateral sanctions on Monday, the United States, Britain and Canada stopped short of adopting Sarkozy's suggestions. France has yet to decide what sanctions it might impose on Iran itself.

"France believes unprecedented sanctions have to be taken to convince Iran that it makes the strategic choice of a sincere negotiation and to put into action its international obligations," Valero told a news briefing.

"We are ready to shoulder our responsibilities," he said.

"What's important is to work closely with our partners, not to waste any time, because while we're talking the centrifuges continue to turn. We need to get a collective decision so the message is the strongest possible."

When asked if France would simply halt its oil imports if a common position could not be found, Valero said: "If we find ourselves alone, we'll have to see. But we won't be on our own."

France turned to Iranian oil in the first half of the year to make up for disruption in Libya. Last year, Iran supplied 2.8 percent of French oil imports, or 1.8 million tonnes. In the seven months to July this year, it supplied 1.6 million tonnes.

Valero said Sarkozy asked European Union officials to work with other EU states to prepare for discussion of Iran at an EU foreign ministers meeting on Dec. 1 and an EU summit on Dec. 8. (Reporting By Muriel Boselli; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)