Posted on 02/28/2007 4:05:23 PM PST by Flavius
MOSCOW - Russia's foreign minister warned Washington not to use force against Iran and criticized what he described as the United States' unilateral approach to other global crises in an interview published Wednesday
Russia was worried about Vice President Dick Cheney's recent comment that "all options are on the table" to stop Tehran from becoming a nuclear power, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"We are concerned about the possibility of a military scenario," Lavrov was quoted as saying, in the government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta. "We are observing a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf. Such a buildup of forces always threatens to trigger a military conflict, even by accident."
Iran has ignored a U.N. deadline to halt the enrichment of uranium, which the U.S. says is part of a secret effort to build nuclear weapons. Enriched to a low level, uranium is used to produce nuclear fuel but highly enriched uranium can be used in an atomic bomb.
Russia has repeatedly spoken out against the use of military force against Iran, and has warned that harsh punishment would be counterproductive.
In December, Russia supported a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposed limited sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt enrichment, but only after the council dropped an initial proposal to impose curbs on a nuclear power plant Russia is building in Iran.
Senior diplomats from the five permanent Security Council members and Germany met Monday in London to discuss ways to pressure Iran to suspend enrichment. Officials in London and Washington said new measures would likely include incremental restrictions on trade and arms.
Lavrov asserted that the talks on the Iranian issue were deadlocked, saying both the United States and Iran were unwilling to compromise.
"It would be unforgivable to miss a chance to use every opportunity to start such talks because of a false notion of prestige, because of the unyielding stance taken by both parties," he was quoted as saying.
Echoing recent comments made by President Vladimir Putin, Lavrov also assailed Washington for what he called a unilateralist approach to global issues.
"When they offer us a unilateral strategy and urge us to express solidarity in combating one or another evil ... that's not the behavior of a partner," he was quoted as saying.
Lavrov added that Putin's harsh criticism of U.S. policy earlier this month voiced an opinion many other nations shared, but were afraid to express publicly.
Putin told a security conference in Munich Feb. 10 that the United States "has overstepped its national borders in every way" and accused it of triggering a global arms race.
Lavrov praised Putin's blunt talk: "Someone had to say it ... to show the need for candid talk about how to deal with global affairs."
Russia can speak independently, he said, because of its resurgence following the troubled years after the 1991 Soviet collapse.
"There are those who cannot say 'no' to the United States," he said, according to the newspaper. "But we can allow ourselves to tell the truth, and not just reject unilateral calls for support but offer concrete constructive alternatives."
In a bid to increase its role in Middle East peace efforts, Russia this week hosted Khaled Mashaal, leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas. Lavrov said Tuesday the Hamas chief pledged to end missile attacks and violence against Israel, although Mashaal reaffirmed his group's refusal to recognize Israel.
Lavrov also called for lifting the financial aid blockade of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority.
The United States, the Europeans and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist group. Hamas' renunciation of violence and recognition of Israel are key demands of the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers — Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.
In the newspaper interview, Lavrov said Russia will continue to support the Quartet's demand that Hamas recognize Israel. But he warned the West's refusal to deal with the militant group could undermine a fragile accord among the Palestinians.
"It's wrong and shortsighted not to see the real progress that already has been made," he said.
It might be noted that all other countries employ the unilateral approach to foreign relations all the time, especially Russia.
Russia's concerns are usually misplaced; they should be concerned about an Islamist nation becoming a nuclear power.
The "friendship" has already worked so well as it is...
Minister Sergey Lavrov,do you mean this "unilateral" approach?
As of August 23,2006,there were 25 non-U.S. military forces contributing armed forces to the Coalition in Iraq.
Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, South Korea, United Kingdom,Japan, Portugal, Singapore and the Ukraine.
With all the trouble Russia has had with Muslims, it is amazing that they support Iran....but then again, anything to thwart the US.
Ok... so when are you guys getting out of Chechnya?
It could be that they are worried about potential customers for their anti-air defense systems seeing how ineffective
they might be against up to date weaponry.
It had to have happened (what ever it was), if Russia is dictating U.S. policy.
When we took down saddam and his RUSSIAN weapons in 3 short weeks some 5 years ago, the RUSSIANS supposedly "got the message" that they were second raters in matters military. Now they seem to have forgotten how technically superior we are, WHY we are the SUPERPOWER of the world, as the USSR sinks into the forgotten dust of history.
"A strong man does not let his house be broken into", we let our house be broken into on 911. Thus the WOT...and GO BUSH, WHACK em...even with money grubbing RUSSIANS allying themselves with the terrorists. We're the great hope of a world suffering under thugs, BRING IT ON!
The Soviets are a little worried that their involvement might be exposed in the event of an attack against Iran.
Putin could very well be pulling some of the strings.
Every time we mangle a lot of their expensive arms that they have been exporting around the world their sales likely take a significant hit, and I'm sure they're tired of losing their market share.
Its time for a first strike!
From what countries are these people? Go to a BBC Have Your Say, and you'll see plenty of Canadians lambasting the United States. Anti-Americanism seems to be standard government policy in Venezuela; it has been standard policy in Cuba since Castro took power. Even Americans readily protest against the United States. So, if people within the country, and within its traditional "sphere of influence," can "say 'no' to the United States," who is it who can't? (rhetorical).
Meanwhile, in Russia Putin gets voted in with an absurdly high percentage of the vote. Opponents to the government are stifled via media propaganda if not more violent methods. And countries formerly under the thrall of the Russian based Soviet Union are bullied into falling into line with Moscow via oil/gas/economic pressures.
Pertinent links:
And, of course, there are other countries with which Russia meddles.
The United States was attacked by the "Christian" British in the American Revolution and the War of 1812; by your opinion, it would be amazing if the United States supported a Christian country (not taking into account, that the United States is a "Christian" country itself).
*Australian aborigines were hunted down as though they were subhuman animals and stuffed (taxidermy) to be sent to Europe to be put into museums as specimens of living "missing links."
Russia can't afford to lose another one of its major arms buying customers.
Lavrov, you big dummy, you are in their cross hairs too. IF you think you're not, may I remind you of the Beslan school massacre? I will never understand why people think they are going to escape those crazy Muzzies.
Oh boy! I am not sure what percentage of Canadians are lambasting the USA. It would be interesting to know the statistics on that. Do you have statistics? I am not denying the fact that it does not happen, which, in my opinion is heart breaking. We have plenty of our own folks that willingly lambaste our country, so it does not surprise me that they would lambaste another country. It would be an interesting study to determine if my country gets more lambasted from within or from without.
And then there's the commercial, with Labor having the Conservatives erasing the border between the USA and Canada, and hinting that is what could happen if the Conservatives won. In retaliation, the Conservatives aired a commercial with them drawing the border, and stating "this is where [they] draw the line." Australian/New Zealander relations bear a striking resemblance to the American/Canadian one--at least according to Wikipedia.
Seems you answered yourself.
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