ussia rules out Iran sanctions, stays tough on Kosovo (Roundup)By Shada Islam Nov 3, 2006, 16:23 GMT |
| Brussels - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday rejected a draft United Nations resolution calling for sanctions against Iran, saying the text drawn up by European nations was too tough to be acceptable. Voicing equally strong views on other global flashpoints, Lavrov, who attended a meeting with senior European Union officials in Brussels, insisted that any decision on a final status for Kosovo must take account of the views of all parties, including Serbia. The Russian Foreign Minister also warned leaders in Georgia to stop making 'insulting statements' and to establish a 'normal, civilized relationship with Moscow.' With discussions on Iran's nuclear programme currently under way at the UN, relations with Tehran were top of the agenda in Lavrov's talks with chief EU diplomat Javier Solana and Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja. In a joint press conference with Tuomioja, Lavrov told reporters he was not ready to back a European-authored draft UN resolution calling for sanctions against Tehran. The draft text 'goes way beyond what was agreed,' warned Lavrov. Any action taken against Iran must be 'reasonable, proportionate and...in stages,' he said. The tough-talking Lavrov insisted that Moscow was still ready to continue discussions on the issue. 'We do not intend to drop back our efforts as regards dealing with Iran...all our efforts are concentrated on achieving a single aim: ensuring that we have no nuclear proliferation,' Lavrov underlined. Moscow's continuing refusal to back sanctions against Iran is a major concern for Britain, France and Germany and the US which argue that Tehran's nuclear programme is aimed at the development of illicit nuclear weapons. China - which like Russia is also a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council - also opposes tough sanctions against Iran. Iran argues that its nuclear programme is aimed at the peaceful, civilian use of nuclear energy. The draft resolution currently under study in the UN calls on nations to stop the sale and supply of equipment, technology and funds which could help Iran's nuclear programme. It also calls for a freezing of assets of people and entities involved in these programmes. A visa ban against key Iranian officials would also be enforced. Turning to the final status of the Serbian breakaway province of Kosovo, Lavrov insisted any agreement reached by special UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari would have to be based on a 'compromise.' A final decision has to be 'acceptable to all parties,' including Serbia, said Lavrov, adding: 'I am not aware of any conflict anywhere in the world which can be solved in any other way.' The Russian Foreign Minister warned that a decision imposed from the 'top down' would unravel. 'We support the efforts by Ahtisaari...but not necessarily any ultimatum to any party,' said Lavrov. Ahtisaari is set to propose a checklist plan which would gradually lead Serbia's breakaway province from conditional to full independence. The package needs to be fine-tuned by Ahtisaari and the Contact Group during the first few half of November. If the plans work out, the package would then be passed to Serbian and Kosovar leaderships. The EU has dismissed references to Belgrade's sovereignty over Kosovo contained in the new Serbian constitution. A spokeswoman for the European Commission - the EU's executive arm - said last week that the future status of Kosovo 'was a separate matter' which could only be decided as part of negotiations being conducted by Ahtisaari. Kosovo has been run by the UN since 1999, when NATO intervened to stop a Serb crackdown against the ethnic-Albanian population. Focusing on Russia's relations with the EU, Tuomioja said he expected negotiations on a new bilateral agreement between the two sides to be launched at summit talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and EU leaders in Helsinki on November 24. 'The EU is one of our key partners in economic affairs and more and more in political affairs,' added Lavrov. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur |
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