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U.S. to Delay Push for Iran Referral to U.N.
The United States has indicated that it would delay its push to have Iran’s nuclear activities referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 14). “I am not so concerned about exactly when it happens because I don’t think this matter is so urgent that it has to come on Sept. 19,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday told the Fox News Editorial Board. The IAEA Board of Governors meeting begins Sept. 19, and Iran’s nuclear program was expected to be a major topic of concern. Rather then pressing for action, Washington hopes to send a “political message” to Tehran that it cannot break a commitment not to engage in nuclear weapons-related activities “and have everybody say, well, OK,” Rice said. While there was “a lot of consensus” on the goal of resuming Iran’s negotiations with the European Union, there remained “a lot of difference about tactics,” she said (Barry Schweid, Associated Press/Baltimore Sun, Sept. 14). Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to present a new proposal Saturday for resolving the standoff when he again addresses a U.N. summit in New York, AFP reported today (Agence France-Presse I/SpaceWar.com, Sept. 15). Representatives to the summit from France, Germany and the United Kingdom have attempted to set up a high-level meeting today with Iran, AFP reported. “France is open to dialogue and a contact is possible if the Iranians want it,” said a French diplomat (Agence France-Presse II/SpaceWar.com, Sept. 15). Elsewhere, India is balking at pressure from Washington to sign onto its push for Security Council action on Iran, the New York Times reported yesterday. Indian officials have said Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons but that the Security Council would not solve the standoff at this time. “You have to allow a certain learning process to take place in Tehran rather than banging them on the head,” said one Indian official. A majority vote at the Board of Governors would be possible with Indian support, according to Bush administration officials, but Indian officials have said they prefer a consensus for some type of resolution demanding that Iran resume a nuclear freeze and negotiations. “Whether we get a consensus depends on what kind of resolution we have,” said the Indian official (Steven Weisman, New York Times, Sept. 14).
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