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UN's Ban Urges Delay in Push for More Iran Sanctions

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By Bill Varner

Bloomberg
June 25, 2007

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the U.S. and its European allies to delay pursuit of tougher sanctions on Iran while UN inspectors try to break the stalemate over the Islamic government's nuclear work. Ban, in an interview today in his New York office, said the Security Council should let the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency work toward a resolution of the dispute over Iran's nuclear development program, which the U.S. and EU say will lead to the building of an atomic bomb. ``This must be resolved through political negotiations, through dialogue,'' Ban said. When IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei ``says he wants to have a plan of action and engage in dialogue, I support that kind of initiative,'' he said.

Inspectors are preparing to travel to Iran at the invitation of the country's top security chief for negotiations on what the IAEA called a plan ``for resolving outstanding issues related to Iran's nuclear program.'' ElBaradei said it would take about two months to negotiate such a plan. The U.S., Britain, France and Germany have been in talks on a draft resolution that would tighten existing UN sanctions because of Iran's refusal to obey UN demands that it stop enriching uranium and open its program to scrutiny. Russia and China oppose another round of penalties. UN resolutions already have asked countries to limit arms sales to Iran and to stop the sale of sensitive nuclear equipment. The world body also has limited the travel and financial transactions of Iran's Revolutionary Guard commanders.

Sudan Parallel

Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, compared the situation to progress in ending the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. He asked for ``political space'' for talks with Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir to yield agreement on a combined UN and African Union peacekeeping mission. The UN reached agreement with Sudan while the U.S. and U.K. held back on a sanctions resolution. ``This is in the same line when I appealed to the Security Council to give me some time on Sudan,'' Ban said, referring to the IAEA initiative. ``The nature and background of the two issues are different, but basic principles should be the same.''

Question of Sanctions

The U.S. and Britain signaled today that there will be no effort to tighten sanctions on Sudan for at least three months by circulating a draft resolution to authorize the UN-AU peacekeeping force of 23,000 soldiers and civilian police in Darfur. The text says the Security Council will take ``further measures'' after 90 days if Sudan's government impedes the deployment, scheduled to begin late this year.

The U.S. and European reaction to Ban's position on tougher sanctions on Iran revealed a potential split over how to proceed. ``The way forward on Iran is very clear because Security Council resolutions explain the responsibilities for the Iranians in great detail,'' U.S. spokesman Ric Grenell said. White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Iran should comply with current UN resolutions ``so that another set of sanctions isn't necessary.''

Resolutions adopted in March and December demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium, a process that could produce fuel for nuclear weapons. The March measure said the Security Council ``shall adopt further appropriate measures'' in the event Iran doesn't comply. The IAEA told the Security Council on May 23 that Iran is continuing to enrich uranium. ``The solution can only come on the negotiating track,'' German Ambassador Thomas Matussek said. The IAEA is trying to identify the sources of crude blueprints for missiles and warheads found by inspectors in Iran. Traces of highly enriched uranium have also been discovered at an Iranian waste disposal site, the IAEA has reported.

 

 

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