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France, U.K. Urge U.N. Action on Iran
France and the United Kingdom yesterday called on the U.N. Security Council to move quickly to approve their draft resolution aimed at seeking Iran’s compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency demands over its nuclear program, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, March 15). The five permanent members of the council have made no progress on bridging the gap between China and Russia and the Western powers, AP reported. British U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones-Parry nonetheless expressed hope for a deal by next week. “By this time next week I will be disappointed if we have not got something on the table of the council,” he said. A second round on informal talks was set for this afternoon, with the entire 15-nation Security Council in attendance, AP reported. One proposal being circulated would express “the conviction that continued Iranian enrichment-related activity would intensify international concern,” while another would reaffirm that WMD proliferation “constitutes a threat to international peace and security,” AP reported. French U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said the council must “put its weight” behind IAEA demands that Iran stop uranium enrichment. That would “show that the international community is serious,” he said. De La Sabliere expressed concern with the body’s slow progress. “There is a little time to discuss, but not too much — time is running out,” he said. “What is happening on the ground in Iran is a reason for us to act swiftly” (Nick Wadhams, Associated Press/San Jose Mercury News, March 16). Jones-Parry said the council’s five powers are considering a presidential statement instead of a full resolution, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday. A nonbinding presidential statement has the “double advantage” of expressing solidarity — all 15 members must sign on for passage — while providing an incremental approach, he said. “That is ... at any stage this process can be reversed if Iran changes its views and actually cooperates,” Jones-Parry said. “If it doesn’t, then the council will have to continue looking at it and logically will have to think of something else.” He added that he saw a high level of agreement among the permanent members. “I don’t want to say we’re lacking consensus,” he said, adding that all five share goals of nonproliferation and denying Iran a nuclear weapons capability (Agence France-Presse I/Yahoo!News, March 15). China and Russia are urging a negotiated settlement, Reuters reported today. “We both believe we need to seek political solutions to the issues through diplomatic channels,” said Russia’s ambassador to China, Sergei Razov. “Russian and Chinese cooperation has played an important role in keeping the Iran nuclear issue on the track of diplomatic solution,” he said (Reuters/Yahoo!News, March 16). U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today she believes the Security Council will come to a correct decision regarding Iran , AFP reported. “I am quite certain that the Security Council will find an appropriate vehicle for expressing again to the Iranians the desire and indeed the demand of the international community that Iran return to negotiations,” she said (Agence France-Presse II/Interactive Investor, March 16). Meanwhile, a U.S. House of Representatives committee yesterday approved legislation to bolster sanctions on Iran, AP reported. The House International Relations Committee approved the bill by a 37-3 vote over Bush administration objections. The White House said the legislation would limit its flexibility in resolving the nuclear standoff with Tehran. The legislation would end U.S. economic aid to any country allowing investment in Iran’s energy sector. Representative Tom Lantos (Calif.), the committee’s top Democrat, said Tehran cannot be dealt with through benign persuasion. “We can only hope to inflict such severe economic pain on Tehran that it would starve the leadership of the resources they need to fund a costly nuclear program,” he said. More than 350 House members are said to support the bill, according to AP. The Senate is considering similar legislation (George Gedda, Associated Press/The Hindu, March 15). Elsewhere, a reformist cleric in Iran has questioned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nuclear stand, AFP reported. “We should have a strong diplomacy, avoid making unwise remarks that would further complicate the issue, build confidence and boost cooperation,” said former parliament speaker Mehdi Karrubi, according to the Tehran Times. “We should not allow the Iranian nuclear issue to be referred to the Security Council,” Karrubi said. “I am sure that sanctions will lead to great difficulties. I hope that the issue will be solved through negotiations,” he added (Agence France-Presse III/IranMania.com, March 15).
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