Posted on 08/17/2005 6:42:52 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia warned on Wednesday against using force to stop Iran's nuclear programme, saying any such action would have grave and unpredictable consequences.
"We favour further dialogue and consider the use of force in Iran counter-productive and dangerous, something which can have grave and hardly predictable consequences," said a statement posted on the ministry's Web site www.mid.ru.
The West fears Iran's nuclear programme, which the oil-rich state insists is aimed only at the peaceful generation of nuclear power, conceals ambitions to develop atomic weapons.
Iran angered the European Union and the United States by resuming work at a uranium conversion plant earlier this month, rejecting EU incentives offered in return for giving up its nuclear programme.
Earlier this month U.S. President George W. Bush said military force remained a last resort to press Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"We consider that problems concerning Iran's nuclear activities should be solved through political and diplomatic means, on the basis of international law and Tehran's close cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency," the Russian statement said.
Russia, which has constructed a nuclear power plant for Iran and is hoping for more such contracts, has criticised Tehran for restarting the uranium conversion.
Moscow says there is no technical need for Iran to convert its own uranium since Moscow has agreed to supply all necessary nuclear fuel for the Bushehr power plant due to go into operation next year.
Ridiculous scenario alert:
In a move that has surprised many Americans, liberal judges have rewritten the court procedures, and eliminated the mandates for the punishment of criminals. From now on, people charged with crimes will be tried but not punished. The format for the trial will resemble a dialog in which the accused will not be required to attend.
Mr. Ruskie did Mr. Wang tell you to do this?
Russia creates the problem for the sake of money. Then it pretends it's an honest broker.
ping
Pakistan support, Chinese defense officials in Tehran, and now what amount to threat by the Russians "Russia warned on Wednesday against using force to stop Iran's nuclear program, saying any such action would have grave and unpredictable consequences." I not saying that China or Russian support will be anymore than a desert mirage, but it is cause of concern.
Gotta protect your business interests even when they
are state owned.
What was #11?
Oh I don't know. I kind of like "branche". Has a sort of elegant feel to it.
Now it seems like Putin is learning yet another hard lesson in life. Because I will in no way believe that this man wants to see radical islamics with nuke power - so he is either very naive or money-hungry and doesn't understand what we are all dealing with.
Very possible. OTOH, maybe Iran would be amused to find laser bullseyes painted on all their nuclear facilities one morning.
Otoh it's a darn shame we were so lax in our support for Russia vs the chechens. For years we nailed the Russians for fighting islamic terrorists in ikcheria, and then we bombed the serbs for fighting it, and hello? What were we thinking, anyway?
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