Posted on 12/20/2006 3:48:11 AM PST by Flavius
MOSCOW, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign minister on Wednesday criticised Western powers for trying to punish Iran in the U.N. Security Council draft resolution on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.
Sergei Lavrov, referring to the Europeans and the United States, said a proposed travel ban on Iranian officials "is in our view an attempt to bring an element of punishment and we agreed from the start not to do that".
"Our partners ... are trying to turn the situation around in their favour by inserting into the resolution statements which would de facto lift all limits on the restraints that are being introduced in Iran and will sever ... trade-economic ties with Iran in completely legitimate areas," he told a Moscow news conference.
Earlier, at the United Nations, Britain and France, which drafted the text along with Germany, decided to distribute the measure to the council so the 15 members could prepare for a vote.
But no vote has been set yet because of differences with Russia and China.
The text allows for a lifting of all sanctions if Iran fully complies with all council resolutions and demands from the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors.
It bans imports and exports of materials and technology relating to uranium enrichment, reprocessing and heavy-water reactors, as well as ballistic missile delivery systems
To meet Russia's objections, it excludes any mention of a light-water reactor Moscow is building at Bushehr in southwest Iran, Iran's first nuclear power plant.
But Russia has continued to seek deletion of the travel ban on leading Iranian officials and firms associated with the nuclear programme.
(Reporting by Oleg Shchedrov)
can't wait for that old bear step on a big rusty old nail
Russia-a terrorist's best friend until they turn on them. Kind of like Hitler. It's time we told them they will be nuked when Iran uses the weapons they are clearly getting from them.
Right...
Like Russia wouldn't nuke us in return...
They have more nukes than we do.
"is in our view an attempt to bring an element of punishment and we agreed from the start not to do that".
Then what the Hell are you guys discussing? Throwing a surprise party for Amgonnasuckanut?
I fully agree with your overview.
Every time our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are butchered by jihadist serial killers armed with Russian weapons sold to Syria & Iran, Putin might as well have pulled the trigger.
The situation is reminiscent of Vietnam since it was the Russians arming the commies in North Vietnam and today Moscow arms each every member of the Axis of Evil, which makes the Putin dictatorship America's enemy.
Just think how right Patton and MacArthur were in wanting to go after the Russians and Chinese. How right they were!
In retrospect how correct they were.
Imagine if either one is looking down in total amazement at the same type of late 1930's brazen appeasement of Red China & Putin's Russia. Western leadership (or lack of) has been laying the groundwork for a self inflicted future destruction, for the sake of B$llions in cheap imports (loss of American jobs) while the determined enemy continues gaining vast amounts of military & high-tech knowhow, pouring in billions into new, advanced ICBM's & SLBM's, for a future war against US & the West This enemy is even sold secrets by former top level officials (Clinton era) & current corporate sellouts.
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