US opposes St. Vincent-Iran ties

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:02:19 GMT  The United States has expressed concern over the establishment of diplomatic ties between Iran and the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent.  Prime Minister of St. Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves, said the US ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean had questioned the island's recent decision to establish ties with Tehran at a time when Washington still has concerns about Iran's nuclear activities.   The US and Western countries continue to accuse Tehran of making efforts to develop nuclear weapons.  While these countries claim that they are committed to a diplomatic solution to the standoff, they demand Iran abandon uranium enrichment through the imposition of sanctions, offers of incentives, and threats of launching strikes against nuclear installations in the country.  Iran, however, argues that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it is entitled to uranium enrichment. Iran's nuclear activities are exclusively directed at generating electricity for its growing population.  "My assessment is that Iran wants to come in from the cold. It wants to be engaged internationally, and it is the duty of countries to engage others," Gonsalves said at a news conference late Monday. St. Vincent and Iran established ties early last month after Gonsalves paid a visit to Iran to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit.  St. Vincent has announced that Iran would give $7 million in aid to the island, a portion of which will be allotted to construction of a $200 million international airport. SF/JG/BGH. Original source at PressTV.