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Russia Now Worried Over Iran Nuclear Ambitions
NewsMax.com Wires Wednesday, March 21, 2007
UNITED NATIONS -- Russia Tuesday disputed a report that it gave Iran an
ultimatum to halt uranium enrichment but diplomats say Moscow has linked
sending Tehran nuclear fuel to proliferation concerns.
Russian officials vigorously denied a New York Times story which said Moscow
had told Tehran that unless it suspend uranium enrichment Russia would
withhold fuel for a light water reactor being built at Bushehr, in southern
Iran.
"There have been no Russian ultimatums to Iran of any kind," Moscow's U.N.
Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters. "The word threat is not in the
Russian vocabulary."
But three diplomats interviewed by Reuters in Washington and in Europe said
Moscow, using softer words, had had made clear several days ago that it
would not deliver the fuel until Iran complies with a December U.N. Security
Council resolution demanding that it suspend enrichment.
Russia recently has been instrumental in negotiating a U.N. Security Council
draft resolution that would tighten existing sanctions against Iran,
particularly a list of financial penalties on officials and institutions.
"The Russians made it very clear to us that they will not deliver the fuel
for political reasons," said a European envoy, who spoke on condition of
anonymity. "The word 'ultimatum' is clumsy. But the Iranians are under no
illusions."
The United States and leading Europeans say Iran is trying to develop an
atom bomb under the guise of a civilian nuclear program. Tehran says its
program is for power generation. Uranium enrichment can be used for energy
or for bomb making.
Russian officials have said a dispute over payments is behind delays with
the $1 billion reactor. But John Bolton, the former U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations, believes that is just an excuse.
"We have repeatedly asked the Russians not to ship fuel to the Bushehr
reactor until it became clear what Iran was up to," Bolton told reporters in
New York.
"There is nothing new in Russia withholding the fuel from Bushehr and there
are commercial disputes between them that have held it up," Bolton said.
"That is certainly a good and sufficient excuse for the Russians not to ship
the fuel."
NUCLEAR AMBITIONS
He said Russia's atomic energy agency had made clear for years their concern
about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"In reality -- and Russian officials have acknowledged this to me
personally -- they know exactly why they are withholding the fuel and that's
fear that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program," Bolton said.
Still Russia's Churkin remained adamant there was no link between Bushehr
and the U.N. sanctions resolution, saying that despite financial disputes
"our deal with the Iranians is on track."
"We continue to work on the Bushehr project as a separate economic project,
which has nothing to do with the previous (sanctions) resolution and the
current resolution," he said.
The 15-nation U.N. Security Council is discussing a draft resolution
imposing an embargo on exports of conventional weapons and a freeze of
assets on a list of Iranian officials and institutions, including the
Revolutionary Guards and the companies it runs and Iran's state-owned Bank
Sepah.
In December it passed a resolution banning trade in sensitive nuclear
materials as well as an assets freeze on individuals and institutions
associated with atomic programs.
On Monday South Africa, a council member, circulated amendments to the
latest draft that delete nearly all the main points of the text, negotiated
by Germany and the permanent Security Council members with veto rights --
Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China.
The full council met informally on Tuesday and Indonesia and Qatar also
proposed some amendments that negotiators said might be acceptable. Further
talks are planned for Wednesday.
In Berlin, the government said Chancellor Angela Merkel had spoken with
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and that both supported quick approval of the
latest resolution.
The six negotiators intend to send the council a letter setting out their
reasons for the resolution.
Russia Now Worried Over Iran Nuclear Ambitions
NewsMax.com Wires Wednesday, March 21, 2007
UNITED NATIONS -- Russia Tuesday disputed a report that it gave Iran an
ultimatum to halt uranium enrichment but diplomats say Moscow has linked
sending Tehran nuclear fuel to proliferation concerns.
Russian officials vigorously denied a New York Times story which said Moscow
had told Tehran that unless it suspend uranium enrichment Russia would
withhold fuel for a light water reactor being built at Bushehr, in southern
Iran.
"There have been no Russian ultimatums to Iran of any kind," Moscow's U.N.
Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters. "The word threat is not in the
Russian vocabulary."
But three diplomats interviewed by Reuters in Washington and in Europe said
Moscow, using softer words, had had made clear several days ago that it
would not deliver the fuel until Iran complies with a December U.N. Security
Council resolution demanding that it suspend enrichment.
Russia recently has been instrumental in negotiating a U.N. Security Council
draft resolution that would tighten existing sanctions against Iran,
particularly a list of financial penalties on officials and institutions.
"The Russians made it very clear to us that they will not deliver the fuel
for political reasons," said a European envoy, who spoke on condition of
anonymity. "The word 'ultimatum' is clumsy. But the Iranians are under no
illusions."
The United States and leading Europeans say Iran is trying to develop an
atom bomb under the guise of a civilian nuclear program. Tehran says its
program is for power generation. Uranium enrichment can be used for energy
or for bomb making.
Russian officials have said a dispute over payments is behind delays with
the $1 billion reactor. But John Bolton, the former U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations, believes that is just an excuse.
"We have repeatedly asked the Russians not to ship fuel to the Bushehr
reactor until it became clear what Iran was up to," Bolton told reporters in
New York.
"There is nothing new in Russia withholding the fuel from Bushehr and there
are commercial disputes between them that have held it up," Bolton said.
"That is certainly a good and sufficient excuse for the Russians not to ship
the fuel."
NUCLEAR AMBITIONS
He said Russia's atomic energy agency had made clear for years their concern
about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"In reality -- and Russian officials have acknowledged this to me
personally -- they know exactly why they are withholding the fuel and that's
fear that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program," Bolton said.
Still Russia's Churkin remained adamant there was no link between Bushehr
and the U.N. sanctions resolution, saying that despite financial disputes
"our deal with the Iranians is on track."
"We continue to work on the Bushehr project as a separate economic project,
which has nothing to do with the previous (sanctions) resolution and the
current resolution," he said.
The 15-nation U.N. Security Council is discussing a draft resolution
imposing an embargo on exports of conventional weapons and a freeze of
assets on a list of Iranian officials and institutions, including the
Revolutionary Guards and the companies it runs and Iran's state-owned Bank
Sepah.
In December it passed a resolution banning trade in sensitive nuclear
materials as well as an assets freeze on individuals and institutions
associated with atomic programs.
On Monday South Africa, a council member, circulated amendments to the
latest draft that delete nearly all the main points of the text, negotiated
by Germany and the permanent Security Council members with veto rights --
Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China.
The full council met informally on Tuesday and Indonesia and Qatar also
proposed some amendments that negotiators said might be acceptable. Further
talks are planned for Wednesday.
In Berlin, the government said Chancellor Angela Merkel had spoken with
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and that both supported quick approval of the
latest resolution.
The six negotiators intend to send the council a letter setting out their
reasons for the resolution.
