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RUSSIAN, FRENCH FMS DISCUSS IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME, NAGORNO-KARABAKH
ITAR-TASS
June 7 2010
Russia
MOSCOW, June 7 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner had a telephone
conversation on Monday to discuss the Iranian nuclear programme and
the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
Lavrov and Kouchner "exchange views on the situation surrounding
the Iranian nuclear problem, including in the context of work on the
draft relevant resolution in the U.N. Security Council, as well as
the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement," the Foreign Ministry said.
On Sunday, Kouchner said the issue of new sanctions against Iran would
be most probably considered after June 14, following an official
reply to the joint suggestion of Iran, Brazil and Turkey regarding
Iranian nuclear programme.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the agreement on uranium
signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil, but said he was not sure that it
would resolve all questions about Tehran's nuclear programme.
Commenting on the agreement on the exchange of low-enriched uranium
signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil, Medvedev called it "interesting
information".
"The work that was done by Brazil and Turkey led to the signing of the
relevant declaration. We are studying this declaration most thoroughly
now. I hope to talk with my colleague and friend Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, the president of Brazil, tonight. I hope to receive first-hand
information," Medvedev said.
"At any rate, we welcome this agreement. This is a political and
diplomatic method of solving the Iranian problem," Medvedev said.
"First of all, it is good that we have some result. The most complex
problem related to the Iranian nuclear programme has been discussed,"
the Russian president said.
"Second, there is the wish to exchange low-enriched uranium for
highly-enriched uranium in the proportions set forth in the agreement,"
he said.
At the same time, Medvedev noted, "The question is whether this
is a sufficient level of exchange and whether all members of the
international community will be satisfied... I don't know. Apparently
more consultations will be needed with those who are involved in
this process."
"A separate question that arises is whether Iran will enrich uranium
itself or not. As far as I understand, judging from the statements
made by Iranian officials, such work will continue in Iran. In this
case, the international community's doubts main remain."
He suggested "calling urgent consultations with all interested
parties, including Iran" in order to decide what should be done next
and whether "the proposed decisions would be enough or something new
should be taken".
"This is why I think that a short pause will not harm. I am confident
that we will soon continue consultations with our partners Brazil
and Turkey and other colleagues that deal with the Iranian nuclear
programme," Medvedev said.
Iran's nuclear programme has been a major irritant in global affairs
lately and spurred heated debates in the international community and
the United Nations, forcing Western countries to raise the issue of
sanctions against Tehran.
Western countries insist that Iran develops its nuclear programme
for military purposes, while Tehran claims it pursues purely civilian
purposes.
Medvedev made it clear earlier that if the Iranian issue could not
be resolved, Russia would be prepared to consider sanctions.
But sanctions against Iran should be "well considered and
intelligent", he said. "Sanctions should not be aimed against the
civilian population and they should be the extreme form, beyond which
dialogue is impossible. This is why the relevant initiatives are being
discussed now. We are ready to continue discussing this issue with our
partners even though it would be desirable to avoid these sanctions,"
Medvedev said.
"Iran is a difficult issue. Practically all of my negotiations with
European colleagues and American colleagues touch on Iran one way
or another. Unfortunately, we have not made progress lately. On the
contrary, the situation is degrading," he said.
"Unfortunately, the admonitions we have offered to the Iranian
leadership, our calls for working on a peaceful nuclear programme
under international control have so far not produced ay result,"
the president said. "But we are optimists and we still think that we
can succeed," he added.
"Nevertheless, if we don't, and I have spoken of that many times,
Russia is ready to consider sanctions together with our partners,"
the president said.
But sanctions against Iran have become more relevant following Tehran's
decision to enrich uranium, but they won' t solve the problem, Deputy
Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier.
Moscow believes that "sanctions, if and when the U.N. Security
Council adopts the relevant decision, should aim to strengthen the
non-proliferation regime", he said.
"Any other attempts to push a possible future resolution towards
provisions that will take it beyond the strengthening of the
non-proliferation regime would naturally be inappropriate to us,"
the diplomat said.
The Russian approach is that "sanctions do not solve the problem",
he added.
From: A. Papazian
ITAR-TASS
June 7 2010
Russia
MOSCOW, June 7 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner had a telephone
conversation on Monday to discuss the Iranian nuclear programme and
the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
Lavrov and Kouchner "exchange views on the situation surrounding
the Iranian nuclear problem, including in the context of work on the
draft relevant resolution in the U.N. Security Council, as well as
the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement," the Foreign Ministry said.
On Sunday, Kouchner said the issue of new sanctions against Iran would
be most probably considered after June 14, following an official
reply to the joint suggestion of Iran, Brazil and Turkey regarding
Iranian nuclear programme.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the agreement on uranium
signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil, but said he was not sure that it
would resolve all questions about Tehran's nuclear programme.
Commenting on the agreement on the exchange of low-enriched uranium
signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil, Medvedev called it "interesting
information".
"The work that was done by Brazil and Turkey led to the signing of the
relevant declaration. We are studying this declaration most thoroughly
now. I hope to talk with my colleague and friend Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, the president of Brazil, tonight. I hope to receive first-hand
information," Medvedev said.
"At any rate, we welcome this agreement. This is a political and
diplomatic method of solving the Iranian problem," Medvedev said.
"First of all, it is good that we have some result. The most complex
problem related to the Iranian nuclear programme has been discussed,"
the Russian president said.
"Second, there is the wish to exchange low-enriched uranium for
highly-enriched uranium in the proportions set forth in the agreement,"
he said.
At the same time, Medvedev noted, "The question is whether this
is a sufficient level of exchange and whether all members of the
international community will be satisfied... I don't know. Apparently
more consultations will be needed with those who are involved in
this process."
"A separate question that arises is whether Iran will enrich uranium
itself or not. As far as I understand, judging from the statements
made by Iranian officials, such work will continue in Iran. In this
case, the international community's doubts main remain."
He suggested "calling urgent consultations with all interested
parties, including Iran" in order to decide what should be done next
and whether "the proposed decisions would be enough or something new
should be taken".
"This is why I think that a short pause will not harm. I am confident
that we will soon continue consultations with our partners Brazil
and Turkey and other colleagues that deal with the Iranian nuclear
programme," Medvedev said.
Iran's nuclear programme has been a major irritant in global affairs
lately and spurred heated debates in the international community and
the United Nations, forcing Western countries to raise the issue of
sanctions against Tehran.
Western countries insist that Iran develops its nuclear programme
for military purposes, while Tehran claims it pursues purely civilian
purposes.
Medvedev made it clear earlier that if the Iranian issue could not
be resolved, Russia would be prepared to consider sanctions.
But sanctions against Iran should be "well considered and
intelligent", he said. "Sanctions should not be aimed against the
civilian population and they should be the extreme form, beyond which
dialogue is impossible. This is why the relevant initiatives are being
discussed now. We are ready to continue discussing this issue with our
partners even though it would be desirable to avoid these sanctions,"
Medvedev said.
"Iran is a difficult issue. Practically all of my negotiations with
European colleagues and American colleagues touch on Iran one way
or another. Unfortunately, we have not made progress lately. On the
contrary, the situation is degrading," he said.
"Unfortunately, the admonitions we have offered to the Iranian
leadership, our calls for working on a peaceful nuclear programme
under international control have so far not produced ay result,"
the president said. "But we are optimists and we still think that we
can succeed," he added.
"Nevertheless, if we don't, and I have spoken of that many times,
Russia is ready to consider sanctions together with our partners,"
the president said.
But sanctions against Iran have become more relevant following Tehran's
decision to enrich uranium, but they won' t solve the problem, Deputy
Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier.
Moscow believes that "sanctions, if and when the U.N. Security
Council adopts the relevant decision, should aim to strengthen the
non-proliferation regime", he said.
"Any other attempts to push a possible future resolution towards
provisions that will take it beyond the strengthening of the
non-proliferation regime would naturally be inappropriate to us,"
the diplomat said.
The Russian approach is that "sanctions do not solve the problem",
he added.
From: A. Papazian