World
  |
|
UN chases consensus to condemn Iran leader's Israel comments
AFP
UNITED NATIONS
Petroleumworld.com 06 12 07The UN Security Council is still chasing consensus on a statement that would condemn Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks on a "countdown" to the destruction of Israel, the US ambassador said Monday.
US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said some council members still had reservations about the French-drafted text but expressed hope that an agreement would emerge in the "coming days."
Last week, France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said the non-binding statement censuring the Iranian leader for his "unacceptable comments" was supported by a "very large majority of delegations."
But diplomats said Qatar and Indonesia have reservations about the text.
Unlike resolutions, statements by the council require consensus to be adopted.
The French-drafted text states that "members of the Security Council strongly condemn the remarks about the destruction of Israel attributed to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."
It adds that council members "reaffirm the rights and obligations of the state of Israel as a full and long-standing member of the United Nations and ... that under the UN Charter, all members have undertaken to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."
Meanwhile in a letter to Belgian Ambassador Johan Verbeke, the chair of the council this month, and UN chief Ban Ki-moon, Iran's UN Ambassador Javad Zarif drew attention to "unlawful and dangerous threats" made by Israeli officials to use force against the Islamic Republic.
He cited a statement by Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz Saturday threatening to use military action against Iran.
Zarif also noted that in April Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert did not rule out using force against its nemesis, saying it would be possible to set the Iranian nuclear program back years in a 10-day campaign that "would involve the firing of 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles."
"The Security Council should react to these threats by unequivocally condemning them and demanding that the said regime (Israel) abandon its policy of flouting international law and the Charter of the UN and desist immediately from the threat of use of force against members of the United Nations," he added.
Ahmadinejad on Sunday said a "countdown" had begun that will end with Lebanese and Palestinian militants destroying the Jewish state.
In a speech marking the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Iranian president said the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah started the process.
AFP 11 2312 GMT 06 07
Copyright© 2007 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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