P5+1 divided on Iran sanctions

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:49:32 GMT
Contrary to British and US claims about unanimity among the P5+1 regarding Iran, Russia says Tehran's nuclear issue is not on the UN agenda.

Russia has agreed to no further action against Iran, despite US and British insistence that there is a unanimity of opinion among the P5+1 to slap further UN sanctions against Iran, Press TV's UN correspondent Mike Mazzocco reported.

"It may well be that in the course of those discussions some members of the six raised the issue of the sanctions," the Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said.

"But to the best of my knowledge there has been no firm agreement or understanding or concerted work in this regard."

"Rather than focus entirely or almost entirely on sanctions, as some would have it, we should focus on what those opportunities might be. I mean, you cannot show up once in a certain meeting and be so disheartened as to start saying that the meeting can bring about no results. I mean, certainly it has been a difficult process but we believe that some positive steps and some positive moves have been made."

Churkin also said that Moscow had no role in a deadline put forward by the US once the P5+1 incentive package was presented to Iran.

The US and its European allies proposed a two-week deadline for Iran to respond to the package. Iran ignored the issue, saying no deadline had been agreed upon during nuclear talks with the P5+1 group in Tehran.

The remark came after Iran Tuesday sent a letter to the major powers demanding additional clarification. Iran declared that for a clear response to the package, it needed clear answers to its questions.

The Untied States and Britain claim that Iran's letter was the response to the incentive package, describing it as 'unacceptable' and saying that they would pursue more sanctions.

Churkin, however, noted that Iran's request for clarification on the elements of the incentive package will be taken into consideration and the negotiations will continue.

The Russian ambassador reiterated that there was potential in the ongoing dialogue with Iran and that the foreign ministers of the P5+1 group would meet in September to confer about Iran.

Iran's nuclear issue appears nowhere on the UN monthly agenda. No topic can be brought up at the UN Security Council until the item is first placed on the UN agenda. No delegation has requested putting the issue of Iran on the UN's agenda this month, Churkin stressed.

AO/JG/MMN