Sen. McCain: Bar Russia from G8 Over Iran Deal

Yahoo!News ^ | Sun, Feb 27, 2005 | Randall Mikkelsen

[lizol]

Sen. McCain: Bar Russia from G8 Over Iran Deal

2 hours, 39 minutes ago Politics - Reuters

By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States should seek to bar Russia from this year's major-nation summit to protest actions by Moscow including its deal Sunday to provide Iran (news - web sites) nuclear fuel, a leading Republican senator said.

"This latest step of the Russians vis-a-vis the Iranians calls for sterner measures to be taken between ourselves and Russia. It has got to, at some point, begin to harm our relations," Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona said on "Fox News Sunday."

Russia and Iran signed their nuclear-fuel supply deal in defiance of long U.S. opposition and only days after Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) and President Bush (news - web sites) met at a summit in Slovakia.

McCain accused Putin of carrying out "aberrational" policies and acting "like a spoiled child," not only in the Iran deal but in domestic policies that McCain said limited press freedom and tightened Kremlin control over Russian regions.

"The United States and our European allies should start out by saying, 'Vladimir, you're not welcome at the next G8 conference,"' said McCain, an influential member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites). The next summit of the Group of Eight major nations, which includes Russia, is scheduled for Scotland in July.

The White House had no immediate comment on the signing of the supply agreement. The United States believes Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons and is concerned that by supplying Iran with fuel for a Russian-built nuclear reactor, Moscow could aid a weapons program.

Iran, rich in oil but struggling to provide power for a growing population, denies it is developing nuclear arms and says its program is solely for generating electricity.

SAFEGUARDS

Russia says safeguards in the deal will prevent any diversion of nuclear materials for covert weapons programs. At their summit last week, Bush said he and Putin agreed Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.

McCain rejected Iran's denials. "They're sitting on a sea of oil, as we know. That alone makes one suspect that they want to have nuclear capabilities for other reasons," he said.

The United States and European leaders should adopt a common approach to Iran, with Washington backing Europe to offer incentives to scrap any weapons-related activities. But Europe must also be prepared to impose sanctions if Iran does not comply, McCain said.

"We have to give them (the Iranians) a lot of carrots, but the Europeans have got to agree with us that if those carrots don't work, we go to the United Nations (news - web sites) for sanctions against Iran," he said.

[lizol]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[lizol]

Any refreshing comment about how much Russia a true ally of America is?

[Timedrifter]

"We have to give them (the Iranians) a lot of carrots, but the Europeans have got to agree with us that if those carrots don't work, we go to the United Nations (news - web sites) for sanctions against Iran," he said.

So McCain wants to punish Russia by kicking it from the G-8? Then he will walk into the United Nations where Russia has a veto and ask for sanctions to be placed on Iran. This type of thinking is why I am glad McCain is not sitting in the White House.

[lawnguy]

"Listen John, we've been doing a lot of reading, and the base can't stand you. You've got to say something to get them to trust you again"

What if I threaten the Russians? Those Reagan types used to love that stuff"

"Sure Senator, give it a try, it can't hurt"

[Zeroisanumber]

First time in a while that I've found myself agreeing with McCain right off the bat.

[PilloryHillary]

I don't agree with McCain on a lot either, but this time he is right.

[Danae]

Hmmn, sense out of McCain. I was beginning to wonder if he had gone over to the dark side. Not that this has decided that issue, but at least he is talking sense. If only he hadn't caved on McCain/Feingold.

[ozarkgirl]

I no longer listen to what McCain has to say.

[OldFriend]

McCrazy must be consulting with General Weasley Clark these days.

[Lukasz]

So McCain wants to punish Russia by kicking it from the G-8? Then he will walk into the United Nations where Russia has a veto and ask for sanctions to be placed on Iran. This type of thinking is why I am glad McCain is not sitting in the White House.

This isn’t good idea but anyway Russians don’t selling nuclear fuel to Iran because they want sanctions for them. They just think that it is enough Americans in Asia now.

[Destro]

McCain is insane in the membrane.

[Condor51]

McCain accused Putin of ... acting "like a spoiled child"

uh... takes one to know one, 'senator'.

[JasonC]

Blow... it... up...

The rest is distraction.

[aynrandfreak]

may not be that far off from an actual conversation.

[malia]

bttt

[libs_kma]

What? McCain is talking like a Republican again?

Is it noon already?

[Righty_McRight]

They're setting Iran up for us. Putin is a good boy, gooood boy, yes he is, yes he is.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

A typical McCain ploy. He recently proposed that we ---(?) (my CRS kicked in) when talks were already under way to do that and now he suggest that we do something completely counter to the tack that Bush is taking. Whether he is right or wrong is immaterial. He is being a thorne in the side of the administration, as usual.

[lizol]

What's wrong with McCain?

I'm asking, because I'm not an American.
I thaught he was a Republican, but you all here seem - well - not to like him very much, do you?