UN
must leave the door open for Iran talks: Straw
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com
03 13 06
The UN Security Council must keep the door open for talks with
Iran, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw argues in a speech to
be delivered Monday.
Any action by the United Nations to end the Iranian nuclear dispute
must be "incremental and reversible", Straw was to tell
his audience at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
in London.
The Security Council is due to meet soon and is expected to call
on Tehran to comply with an International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) request to suspend its nuclear programme.
Any action against Iran should also maintain the strongest possible
international consensus, reinforce the authority of the IAEA and
"leave the door open for negotiations with Iran at any stage,"
according to Straw.
"Security Council involvement does not mean an end to our
efforts to find a negotiated solution. It marks a new phase in
diplomatic efforts," he will insist.
"Our message is that we want the Iranian people to enjoy
the benefits of civil nuclear power and we support their aspirations
for a freer, more democratic and prosperous Iran."
Iran on Sunday threatened to walk out of an international atomic
treaty, as it continued to insist on its right to conduct sensitive
nuclear activities ahead of the key meeting of the UN Security
Council.
Iran's nuclear programme, which Tehran says is a drive for peaceful
energy but is alleged by the United States to be a cover for weapons
production, is due to be discussed on the UN Security Council
next week amid the looming threat of sanctions.
AFP
03 13 06
Copyright
© 2006 AFP. All rights reserved.
Send
this story to a friend
Your
feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us
their views and comments about this article.
Write
to editor@petroleumworld.com
Any
question or suggestions, please write to:
editor@petroleumworld.com
Best
Viewed with IE
5.01+
Windows
NT 4.0, '95, '98 and ME +/ 800x600 pixels
| 
