| Date: 09/02/2010 Time: 09:10:00 AM |
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's
announcement on Sunday that his country will enhance its enrichment of uranium
to nearly 20 per cent means that more sanctions on Tehran need to materialize
in the near future, a US official said here late Monday.
The official told a press conference that the Security Council's permanent
members, P5, plus Germany have been operating for years on the basis of a
two-track approach - diplomacy and pressure or sanctions. "We have been in
agreement that if the diplomatic track is not embraced, as it seems not to
have been to date, then pressure needs to be made real."
"Iran will be at the forefront on our (Security Council) shared agenda in
the coming weeks and months. As it seems, it (Iran) seems on the path of
rejecting a negotiated approach to their nuclear programme and yesterday's
announcement ... is further indication that they seem inclined to act outside
of international law and existing council resolutions," the official noted.
Asked whether China indicated it will join the consensus among the P5, the
official said "our Chinese colleagues have been part of the P5 plus one on
that basis and remain in it on that basis. We may have differences over timing
and tactics, but frankly, after some mixed signals last week (from Iran),
President Ahmedinejad's announcement yesterday can only be construed as
provocative."
"The decision to enrich to 20 percent, if indeed implemented, suggests that
their intentions are not as stated (peaceful) and when you combine that with
the revelation of the Qum facility and other recent statements and actions, it
only lends further impetus to the urgency of the pressure track (sanctions),"
the official added.
The official stressed that the value of the IAEA proposal to process most
of the Iranian uranium abroad "is diminishing with every passing day for the
US, France and Russia and the IAEA. The due date was Jan 15. That date is
passed. If Iran were to quickly and unambiguously accept the proposal, that
would be one thing. Looking for opportunities to reopen or negotiate it is not
viable."
On Iraq's request to the council to lift restrictions on scientific
equipment and research after complying with disarmament resolutions and on
Baghdad attempt to get out from under Chapter 7, the official said in answer
to a question by KUNA "Iraq remains under Chapter 7 across a broad spectrum of
issues and they are not all alike. Some relate to Kuwait and some relate to
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD.)
"We have been very clear that we want to work with Iraq ... to bring Iraq
in line with its present day reality. Those anachronistic resolutions that no
longer relate in the realm of WMD are things that we look to Iraq and other
members of the Council to join and work through. But Iraq, as a responsible
member of the international community needs to take certain steps in that
direction," the official said.
"We aim to be supportive of that, but there is no magic wand that any
council member can wave and any sanctions will go away. There needs to be a
process. Iraq is well aware of the steps it is expected to take on the various
aspects of these resolutions. We stand ready as a friend and partner to assist,
" the official concluded. |