Posted on 02/27/2005 10:46:16 AM PST by 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.
Probably because we feel he has not been loyal to the Republican party, he is a good friend of John Kerry and you might not have noticed, but most people here don't care much for Kerry.
I didn't know he was a good friend of Kerry.
Many here are tired of his inner conflict, and think we, and he, would be much happier if he were to become an Independent or a Democrap.
McCrazy strikes again.
No McCrazy is upholding the Liberman/Soros line. If you'd bother to read the articles on the subject you'd know that.
McCrazy is a leftist with a Republican tag who supports the Liberman/Soros line and thinks Hildabeast would be great president.
It's not rocket science.
Im a bit dissapointed in McCain lately he is having an unrealistic view that if you punish someone then they tend to listen to you instead of isolate and work to return the grievence which is what usually happens. Cutting off ties of diplomacy by exclusion is a bit idiotic in my view.
A very enlightened view. Now substitute Jews for Russians and see how that goes.
I don't trust Russia. Russia is not a friend of the US. Those are my words and I'll say them every day of the week.
You choose what you want to say, but you do not speak for me. Ever.
Please give my regards to Pooty Comrade.
I know you haven't said anything about Jews, I was making a point that was obviously above your head. Against Jews it would be racist, etc. but against Russians its a ok. This is called a double standard, otherwise known as hypocracy.
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