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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (186141)	5/4/2006 12:55:38 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

Britain, France Introduce Iran Resolution By NICK WADHAMS, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 38 minutes ago UNITED NATIONS - Britain and France introduced a U.N. Security Council resolution Wednesday demanding that Iran abandon its uranium enrichment program, possibly setting the stage for sanctions if Tehran does not comply. Several ambassadors said they hoped the resolution, backed by the United States, will be adopted before a meeting of foreign ministers in New York next Monday. Yet other diplomats questioned whether negotiations could wrap up that quickly. The draft could lead to a showdown with Russia, which has arms and technology deals with Iran, as well as China. Both nations have said they adamantly oppose tough council action, and the two could use their veto-power on the council to spike it. "I don't think this draft as it stands now will produce good results," China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said after he emerged from the Security Council meeting where the draft was introduced. "I think it's tougher than expected." The resolution mandates that Iran suspend enrichment and warns that the council would "consider such further measures as may be necessary to ensure compliance" — language that could be seen as opening the door to sanctions. Iran had no immediate reaction to the draft, but it remained defiant to earlier U.N. demands that it suspend enrichment. Nuclear chief Gholamreza Aghazadeh said Wednesday his nation had enriched uranium to the upper end of the range needed to make fuel for reactors, further defying U.N. demands. Iran announced April 11 it had enriched uranium for the first time. The resolution is the latest move in weeks of negotiation over how to confront suspicions about Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes. The United States and France accuse the country of secretly trying to build nuclear weapons. Last month, the Security Council issued a nonbinding statement that Iran comply with previous demands to abandon enrichment. That statement asked for a report from the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, in 30 days on Iran's compliance. The IAEA is the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog. As had been widely expected, ElBaradei issued a report Friday saying Iran had not complied, laying the groundwork for Wednesday's resolution. The new document calls on Iran to stop construction of a heavy-water reactor and demands that nations "exercise vigilance" in blocking the transfer of goods and technology that could help Iran's uranium reprocessing and missile programs. The resolution was written under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which makes any demands mandatory and allows for the use of sanctions — and possibly force — if they are not obeyed. Any sanctions would require another resolution. Ambassadors said the Chapter 7 element was the core of the resolution, suggesting that other language, like the threat of further measures and blocking technology transfers, could be scrapped. "On the strategic objective, there's nothing between the six of us. We do not want to see an Iran with a nuclear weapon capability," Britain's Ambassador Emyr Jones-Parry said. "On the detail of the resolution, there have been exchanges of views and those will continue." The resolution will seek a report back from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's compliance. No timeframe has been set for that report but France's U.N Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said he wants that report no later than early June. (LOL!! I'm sorry, but I really find it ironic considering this guy's involvement with Iraqi Intelligence in 2002). "Once again, the key to this lies in Iran's hands," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said. "If they give up the pursuit of nuclear weapons, a lot of things are possible. If they continue to bluster and to threaten and obfuscate and try to throw sand in our eyes, then we're onto a different circumstance." President Bush has stressed that the United States will continue to focus on diplomacy. However, he refuses to rule out military action if necessary. When asked last month whether U.S. options regarding Iran "include the possibility of a nuclear strike" if Tehran refuses to halt uranium enrichment, Bush replied, "All options are on the table." Russia, a firm opponent of the resolution, was clearly wary that some language in the new draft could be seen as opening the door to military action. That would likely include the reference to "further measures." "We do not believe the matter can be resolved by use of force, so that does reflect in our attitude to various possibilities in the text of the resolution," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said. The resolution was drafted by Britain, France and Germany, the three European Union nations that have led negotiations with Iran. Ambassadors said discussions between the three EU nations, the United States, China and Russia were only beginning over the resolution. news.yahoo.com So while I chuckle over the irony involving the French UN ambassador, I have to admit that I'm VERY ENCOURAGED to see them taking the lead on this. Hawk