Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Stockpiling nuclear arsenal is shameful, says Ahmadinejad
From The Hindu
Speaking at the start of the four-week nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations in New York on Monday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad described the policy of building up nuclear stockpiles for the purposes of deterrent as “disgusting and shameful,” and “not a source of pride.”
In a reference to the recently announced U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, Mr. Ahmadinejad called for states that threaten to use atomic weapons to be punished. He further described as “hazardous” the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons by world powers, and made a reference to a 2007 episode in the United States when an aircraft mistakenly transported six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles within U.S. territory.
It was reported that the delegations of the United States, Britain and France all walked out of the U.N. General Assembly chamber during the Iranian President's speech.
In critique that was sharp, if expectedly so, Mr. Ahmadinejad said that to this day those who were behind the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan were the “most hated in human history.” He stressed the need for “considering any threat to use nuclear weapons or attack against peaceful nuclear facilities as a breach of international peace and security.”
Speaking after the inaugural address of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Mr. Ahmadinejad however invited United States President Barack Obama to join the movement for a nuclear-free world if he was “truly committed to change.”
Onus on Iran: Ban
Mr. Ban in his speech directly challenged Iran, saying, “The onus is on Iran to clarify the doubts and concerns about its program.” He called on the Tehran government to “fully comply with Security Council resolutions” calling for it to cease enrichment activities.
Earlier U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said, “If Iran is coming to say we are willing to abide by the non-proliferation treaty that would be very welcome news.” However, she added, “I have a feeling that's not what they're coming to do…I think they're coming to try to divert attention and confuse the issue.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad, however, stated that Iran's approach to the question of global nuclear security and disarmament was practical, fair and transparent. He reiterated that disarmament and making use of peaceful nuclear energy were two major and influential global issues.
Speaking at the start of the four-week nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations in New York on Monday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad described the policy of building up nuclear stockpiles for the purposes of deterrent as “disgusting and shameful,” and “not a source of pride.”
In a reference to the recently announced U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, Mr. Ahmadinejad called for states that threaten to use atomic weapons to be punished. He further described as “hazardous” the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons by world powers, and made a reference to a 2007 episode in the United States when an aircraft mistakenly transported six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles within U.S. territory.
It was reported that the delegations of the United States, Britain and France all walked out of the U.N. General Assembly chamber during the Iranian President's speech.
In critique that was sharp, if expectedly so, Mr. Ahmadinejad said that to this day those who were behind the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan were the “most hated in human history.” He stressed the need for “considering any threat to use nuclear weapons or attack against peaceful nuclear facilities as a breach of international peace and security.”
Speaking after the inaugural address of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Mr. Ahmadinejad however invited United States President Barack Obama to join the movement for a nuclear-free world if he was “truly committed to change.”
Onus on Iran: Ban
Mr. Ban in his speech directly challenged Iran, saying, “The onus is on Iran to clarify the doubts and concerns about its program.” He called on the Tehran government to “fully comply with Security Council resolutions” calling for it to cease enrichment activities.
Earlier U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said, “If Iran is coming to say we are willing to abide by the non-proliferation treaty that would be very welcome news.” However, she added, “I have a feeling that's not what they're coming to do…I think they're coming to try to divert attention and confuse the issue.”
Mr. Ahmadinejad, however, stated that Iran's approach to the question of global nuclear security and disarmament was practical, fair and transparent. He reiterated that disarmament and making use of peaceful nuclear energy were two major and influential global issues.
Labels: Ahmadinejad, Iran, NPT meeting, nuclear arsenal, stockpiling, U.S.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Iran sanctions "within weeks": Obama
From The Hindu
United States President Barack Obama on Wednesday said that he believed the United States and the international community could have United Nations sanctions against Iran “within weeks,” over Iran’s alleged nuclear development programme.
Speaking at a press conference with visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr. Obama said that the U.S. had made clear that there would be a time limit to the engagement-based approach, and if progress was not evident by the end of the year, it would be time to move forwards on that sanctions track.
“I am not interested in waiting months for a sanctions regime to be in place. I am interested in seeing that regime in place in weeks, and we are working diligently with our international partners,” Mr. Obama said, adding that the U.S. would “move forcefully on a UN sanctions regime.”
However he acknowledged that support for sanctions against Iran might not be as forthcoming as he’d hoped: “Do we have unanimity [regarding the need for sanctions] in the international community? Not yet, and that’s something we have to work on.”
The President also conceded that conflict in the Middle East as a consequence of Iran’s actions could have a “huge destabilising effect” in terms of the world economy, which was just coming out of a very deep recession.
In an indication of U.S. concern over the risk of a spike in global oil prices Mr. Obama said, “Let’s be honest, Iran is an oil producer and a lot of countries around the world, regardless of Iran’s offences, are thinking that their commercial interests are more important to them than these long term geo-political interests.”
Labels: Barack Obama, Iran, Sarkozy, U.S.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
U.S. “concerned” about Iran Baha’i persecution
From The Hindu
The United States is increasingly concerned about Iran's ongoing persecution of Baha’is and other religious minority communities, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs, Philip Crowley, said on Friday.
Citing the detention of at least 25 Baha’is by Iranian authorities in recent weeks, Mr. Crowley added that there have been more than 45 new incidents of detention of Baha’is in the last four months alone, and currently 60 Baha’is are imprisoned in Iran solely on the basis of their religious beliefs.
The authorities “also detained more than a dozen Christians, some of whom are being held in custody without substantiated charges,” Mr. Crowley said. He further said that the U.S. remains concerned that seven Baha’i leaders on trial for espionage were denied access to lawyers, emphasising that their trial did not meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Referring to Iran’s pledge to abide by international law at the UN Human Rights Council in February 2010, Mr. Crowley said “We are deeply disappointed that the Iranian government rejected a Universal Periodic Review recommendation to end discrimination against its Baha’i religious minority.”
The United States is increasingly concerned about Iran's ongoing persecution of Baha’is and other religious minority communities, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs, Philip Crowley, said on Friday.
Citing the detention of at least 25 Baha’is by Iranian authorities in recent weeks, Mr. Crowley added that there have been more than 45 new incidents of detention of Baha’is in the last four months alone, and currently 60 Baha’is are imprisoned in Iran solely on the basis of their religious beliefs.
The authorities “also detained more than a dozen Christians, some of whom are being held in custody without substantiated charges,” Mr. Crowley said. He further said that the U.S. remains concerned that seven Baha’i leaders on trial for espionage were denied access to lawyers, emphasising that their trial did not meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Referring to Iran’s pledge to abide by international law at the UN Human Rights Council in February 2010, Mr. Crowley said “We are deeply disappointed that the Iranian government rejected a Universal Periodic Review recommendation to end discrimination against its Baha’i religious minority.”
Labels: Baha’i, Iran, Philip Crowley, religious minority
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