New UN resolution on Iran envisions talks

MOSCOW: A new draft UN Security Council resolution on Iran's nuclear programme envisages direct talks with Tehran that would include the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
The five permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany, agreed earlier in the day in Berlin on the text of the resolution aimed at getting Iran to heed international demands to halt uranium enrichment.
"It's clearly confirmed by the resolution that direct negotiations on resolving all questions related to the Iranian nuclear programme -- with the participation of all six powers, including the United States -- would be initiated if Iran accepts the proposals of the six," Lavrov said.
He made his remarks to Russian journalists after the Berlin meeting, the Ria-Novosti news agency reported.
Lavrov said the new wording "not only acknowledges, but salutes progress made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in clarifying aspects of Iran's nuclear programme".
The resolution underlines "support" among the six powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States -- for the IAEA's efforts towards alleviating their remaining concerns, he said.
Iran -- which rejects Western fears that it is covertly developing nuclear weapons -- has promised to deliver answers on outstanding questions put to it "within the next two or three weeks," Lavrov

US denies NKorean charges on denuclearization

 

 

WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday denied charges it was failing to live up to its part of six-country deal aimed at North Korea's denuclearization.
"The US has met and is meeting its commitments," Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman, told reporters when asked to comment on the charges.
A North Korean newspaper blamed Washington for the deadlocked demilitarization deal by criticizing its failure to start the process of removing Pyongyang from its list of state terrorism sponsors.
"As part of the February 13 agreement, the United States agreed to begin the process of removing the designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism," he said, reading a statement.
Under a breakthrough six-nation deal reached in February last year, North Korea, which tested an atom bomb in 2006, receives badly needed aid and security guarantees in return for disarmament.
But the hardline communist state missed a December 31 deadline to disable its main atomic facilities and give a full declaration of all nuclear programs, as required under the accord.
In response to the disablement and declaration, the negotiating partners -- South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia -- were to supply one million tons of fuel oil or equivalent energy aid.
The United States was also to start the process of removing the North from its terrorism list, which blocks access to bilateral economic aid and loans from international financial institutions.
"We also agreed to advance the process of terminating an application of the Trading with the Enemy Act to North Korea," Gallegos added.
"Criteria for removing a country's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and lifting the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act are set forth in US law," he said.
"US action related to the terrorism designation and the Trading with the Enemy Act application are dependent on North Korea's fulfillment of the requirements of US law and its progress on addressing concerns on a nuclear issue and meeting its denuclearization commitments," he said.
"We're going to continue working with our close allies, Japan and South Korea, and our partners China and Russia as we urge North Korea to deliver a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs," he said.

Israel welcomes accord on UN Iran resolution

JERUSALEM: A senior Israeli official on Wednesday welcomed world powers agreeing on the text of a new UN Security Council resolution against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
The chairman of the Israeli parliament's powerful foreign affairs and defense committee, Tzahi Hanegbi, hailed the agreement by the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany reached in Berlin on Tuesday.
"It is important that the five members of the Security Council and Germany are in agreement, as the Iranian leadership has recently made it seem as if their nuclear programme enjoys impunity and as if the sword was not hanging above their head," Hanegbi told army radio.
"Before considering a military option against the Iranian nuclear programme one must prove that all the other means have been exhausted," he said.

Pakistan won’t stop improving nuclear capability on any pressure: Musharraf

 

PARIS: President General Pervez Musharraf has ruled out to yield any international pressure to stop further improving the nuclear capability.
He stated this here while addressing a gathering of Pakistani community. Pakistan is the only nuclear power among the Muslim countries, he remarked.
The atomic missile programme of Pakistan is mush better than the same programme of many countries, he said.