Leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Spain in Paris on Friday called for Syria's complete and rapid withdrawal from Lebanon, and voiced their joint stance that Iran must not produce and possess nuclear arms.

"We confirm our commitment to the full implementation of (UN) Security Council resolution 1559 for a sovereign, independent and democratic Lebanon," French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said in a joint statement issued after their summit.

"This implementation involves the complete withdrawal of Syrian armed forces and security services which must leave Lebanese territory rapidly," said the statement.

The four leaders also expressed their joint position on Iran's nuclear issue at a joint conference after their talks in this French capital.

"We are working very closely on the Iran question," Schroeder said, noting they were trying to "convince the Iranians they must not produce or possess nuclear arms."

Chirac, for his part, said there was "no contradiction between the Russian position and the position that Britain, Germany and France together are negotiating" that both try to ensure Iran is not building nuclear weapons.

Russia, which is aiding the construction of Iran's first nuclear power station, has signed an agreement with the Iranian government for the return of spent fuel, Putin said.

"Iran must prove that it refuses totally the acquisition of nuclear weapons," Putin said. "We will meet the agreement signed (with Iran) but we will attentively monitor Iran's level of cooperation with international organizations to control nuclear technologies."

Putin's view was echoed by Schroeder. "Russia ships fuel and takes it back," he said. "The fuel is not processed, nor is it enriched and cannot be enriched in Iran."

Source: Xinhua