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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Russia Won't Block U.S. on Iran |
| 2006-01-12 |
| Commitment Is Cited by Officials Pressing for IAEA Vote The Bush administration, working intensely to galvanize international pressure on Iran, has secured a guarantee from Russia that it will not block U.S. efforts to take Tehran's nuclear case to the U.N. Security Council, American and European officials said yesterday. The commitment, made in a Tuesday night phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, will likely help the United States and its European allies win support from key countries weighing a tougher line in response to Iran's resumption of sensitive nuclear work. Vice President Cheney and British Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested yesterday that Iran now faces the possibility of U.N. economic sanctions if it does not halt nuclear enrichment research it began Tuesday. According to three senior diplomats who were briefed on the call, Lavrov told Rice that Russia would abstain, rather than vote against U.S. efforts to move the issue from the International Atomic Energy Agency to the Security Council. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed to reporters that Rice had spoken with Lavrov and other foreign ministers but did not divulge details. Russia's pledge was good only for when a vote takes place inside the IAEA. U.S. officials said they remain uncertain as to how Moscow, a traditional ally of Iran's, would react if the issue gets to the Security Council, where Moscow is one of five countries with veto power. Still, Bush administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity saw the Russian decision as a victory and said they would spend the next several weeks lobbying China for a similar commitment. "We spent much of our time working on the Russians, but we're now moving the focus to China," said one administration official who would only discuss the backroom diplomacy on the condition of anonymity. The White House is hoping the IAEA board will refer Iran's case to the Security Council before President Bush delivers the State of the Union address at the end of the month, according to two senior administration officials. Rest at link. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #7 --Russia agreed last month to sell Tehran £700m-worth of advanced SA-15 Gauntlet mobile missile systems.-- Cash upfront. Who cares what happens to them after they're paid for? |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2006-01-12 20:21 |
| #6 Let's compare some recent tidbits: Russia Won't Block U.S. on Iran Russia agreed last month to sell Tehran £700m-worth of advanced SA-15 Gauntlet mobile missile systems. C a n ... y o u ... s a y ... cog ... ni ... tive ...... dis ... son ... nance ? Very good, I knew you could! Whenever Russia begins to wonder why their country is spiraling around in the porcelain receptacle with a bunch of brown-stained wet tissue, they need only look at the above. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-01-12 12:55 |
| #5 "Russia's pledge was good only for when a vote takes place inside the IAEA." Madammoselle...may I have the next dance? |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-01-12 10:20 |
| #4 The White House is hoping the IAEA board will refer Iran's case to the Security Council Why exactly? Who wants to sit through another bout of America berating by Europussies and assorted despots, before China puts the kabosh on the whole damn thing? And even if the Chicoms don't, what differance does it make? The Iranians have their goal in sight and won't be bribed or dissuaded. We should pop one of our smaller nukes over one of their "research" facilities, and tell them they ought to be more careful in their handling proceedures - that shit is dangerous. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2006-01-12 10:11 |
| #3 Who's Blogging? Read what bloggers are saying about this article. * thoughts in a bucket * SpeedBalling * The Agonist | thoughtful, global, timely LOL! |
| Posted by: Crease Slolung3988 2006-01-12 08:10 |
| #2 Whoops. The copy-n-paste thingy didn't work for ... Would and editor remove the junk in the middle. Thanks. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-01-12 07:56 |
| #1 It's a DictaCommie tag-team thingy. This time PuttyPutz pretends to be the good guy and the ChiComs play the assholes. Next time they'll flip. Just part of the strategy worked out for the MMs. Fun for the whole "ist" family. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-01-12 07:51 |