Russia against immediate sanctions on Iran
UNITED NATIONS: On the eve of major power talks on Iran’s nuclear
ambitions, Russia’s foreign minister made clear new sanctions would have
to wait until U.N. inspectors had surveyed Tehran’s activities.
Iran last month agreed to explain the scope of its nuclear program to
the International Atomic Energy Agency, but critics say the deal allows
Tehran to address issues one by one in a long-drawn-out process that
could last until December.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in comments to reporters, did not
exclude another round of U.N. Security Council sanctions in the future.
But he said it was important that the IAEA report “on how those problems
which still exist (on) the Iran nuclear program are being treated.”
“And as long as Iran is doing at least something which satisfied part
of the demands of the Security Council, I believe we have to calibrate
our action in the Security Council and elsewhere,” he said.
“We are committed to continue to engage the Security Council to
support negotiations and to respond from the Security Council to ups and
downs in the situation,” Lavrov said.
The Russian minister spoke late on Thursday after introducing a new
Russian Arab-language television station, Rusiya al-Yaum, at a New York
hotel.
The United States, France and Britain want the council to agree soon
to tougher sanctions against Tehran over its refusal to suspend uranium
enrichment, which the West suspects is cover for bomb making. Iran says
its program is for generating nuclear power.
In response, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said IAEA activities in
Iran “cannot be used as a shield to protect Iran from its lack of
implementation of the demands of the Security Council in regard to the
enrichment of uranium that Iran has been asked to suspend twice.”
Russia and China previously voted for two sets of punitive measures
after Tehran refused to suspend enrichment, and both nations have veto
power in the 15-member Security Council.
Earlier, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told reporters that
Lavrov had made clear in discussions with him that he was unlikely to
support new U.N. sanctions until after the IAEA finished its survey in
December.
“I think it would be very difficult to convince the Russians and the
Chinese before (then),” said Kouchner, who said he spent hours trying in
vain to persuade Lavrov to join Western states in a new round of tighter
sanctions against Iran.
British Foreign Minister David Miliband, in briefing reporters,
stressed the importance of unity among the major powers, the United
States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, which would
negotiate a resolution.
“The most important thing is that the unanimity of the international
community is valued by all six (powers) and sends a very clear signal to
Iran and we need to keep that going.”
New York, Friday, Reuters
|