EU Condemns Iran's President for Threat to Israel
EU Condemns Iran's President for Threat to Israel (Update1)
Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for saying that Israel ``must be wiped off the map,'' adding to tensions as Iran faces United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program.
``Calls for violence and for the destruction of any state are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community,'' leaders of the 25-nation EU said in a statement today during a meeting at Hampton Court outside London, adding that they were concerned about Iran's ``future intentions.''
Ahmadinejad's remark yesterday at a conference in Tehran called ``A World Without Zionism'' came as Islamic Jihad, a militant group with ties to Iran, killed at least five Israelis with a suicide bomb in the Israeli town of Hedera. The EU made reference to that attack in today's statement.
EU nations led by Britain, France and Germany already were attempting to stop Iran from any pursuit of nuclear weapons. In August, Iran resumed work enriching uranium, a step the U.S. has said may help it build an atomic bomb.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations watchdog, meets on Nov. 24 to decide whether to haul Iran before the UN Security Council. Iran, holder of the world's second- largest oil and gas reserves, maintains its facilities are aimed at generating electricity, not weapons.
Uranium
Ahmadinejad, who took office in August, renounced a two-year old agreement with the EU to refrain from uranium enrichment, which can potentially produce a weapons-grade version of the ore. EU diplomats haven't had a formal meeting with Iran since May, focusing instead on talks with Russia and China about how to bring about a change in Iran's policy.
Russia today condemned Ahmadinejad's remark on Israel and warned the country against encouraging countries who want its ``nuclear file'' sent to the UN.
``What I saw on TV is inexcusable,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian state-run news service RIA Novosti in Jordan. ``We'll make this clear to the Iranian side.''
In September, 22 countries -- including the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and India -- voted to delay a UN confrontation, giving time for diplomacy. The U.S.-backed September resolution, submitted by French, German and U.K. diplomats, found Iran in ``non-compliance'' with its nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.
Nuclear Sharing
At a summit of UN leaders in New York in September, Ahmadinejad sparked further concern among U.S. and EU diplomats after he said his country is willing to share nuclear technology with other Arab nations.
Ahmadinejad yesterday suggested a violent uprising, telling his audience there was ``no doubt the new wave in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot from the face of the Islamic world.'' He also said: ``Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury.''
Today, Britain, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, called Iran's representative in London to the Foreign Office to express the U.K.'s anger over the Iranian president's remarks. Yesterday in Washington, U.S. President George W. Bush's spokesman said the Iranian comments highlight questions about whether Iran is developing an atomic bomb.
``We made our displeasure known,'' Tom Kelly, a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, said at today's EU meeting. ``We condemn in the strongest terms the president's comments.''
Middle East Violence
The U.S. and EU are backing the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel to curb violence in the region.
``The EU remains committed to a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute based on the principle of two states living side-by-side in peace and security,'' the EU leaders said.
Israel is seeking a formal condemnation of Iran by the United Nations and other unspecified diplomatic actions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.
``He called for the destruction of our country, of another UN member, and we don't believe the international community can let this stand,'' Regev said in a telephone interview from Jerusalem. `` We've raised the issue with the secretary general and at the Security Council.''
Regev said Iran bore responsibility for yesterday's suicide bombing because it funds Islamic Jihad, the group that claimed responsibility for the attack.
``The problem isn't only the extreme and hateful language,'' Regev said. ``It's that these statements actually reflect the policies of the regime that have been implemented over the years, such as sponsoring suicide bombers.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Reed Landberg in Hampton Court outside London at 240 or landberg@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 27, 2005 10:32 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=a1jVZoacuWaA&refer=europe
Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for saying that Israel ``must be wiped off the map,'' adding to tensions as Iran faces United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program.
``Calls for violence and for the destruction of any state are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community,'' leaders of the 25-nation EU said in a statement today during a meeting at Hampton Court outside London, adding that they were concerned about Iran's ``future intentions.''
Ahmadinejad's remark yesterday at a conference in Tehran called ``A World Without Zionism'' came as Islamic Jihad, a militant group with ties to Iran, killed at least five Israelis with a suicide bomb in the Israeli town of Hedera. The EU made reference to that attack in today's statement.
EU nations led by Britain, France and Germany already were attempting to stop Iran from any pursuit of nuclear weapons. In August, Iran resumed work enriching uranium, a step the U.S. has said may help it build an atomic bomb.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations watchdog, meets on Nov. 24 to decide whether to haul Iran before the UN Security Council. Iran, holder of the world's second- largest oil and gas reserves, maintains its facilities are aimed at generating electricity, not weapons.
Uranium
Ahmadinejad, who took office in August, renounced a two-year old agreement with the EU to refrain from uranium enrichment, which can potentially produce a weapons-grade version of the ore. EU diplomats haven't had a formal meeting with Iran since May, focusing instead on talks with Russia and China about how to bring about a change in Iran's policy.
Russia today condemned Ahmadinejad's remark on Israel and warned the country against encouraging countries who want its ``nuclear file'' sent to the UN.
``What I saw on TV is inexcusable,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian state-run news service RIA Novosti in Jordan. ``We'll make this clear to the Iranian side.''
In September, 22 countries -- including the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and India -- voted to delay a UN confrontation, giving time for diplomacy. The U.S.-backed September resolution, submitted by French, German and U.K. diplomats, found Iran in ``non-compliance'' with its nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.
Nuclear Sharing
At a summit of UN leaders in New York in September, Ahmadinejad sparked further concern among U.S. and EU diplomats after he said his country is willing to share nuclear technology with other Arab nations.
Ahmadinejad yesterday suggested a violent uprising, telling his audience there was ``no doubt the new wave in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot from the face of the Islamic world.'' He also said: ``Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury.''
Today, Britain, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, called Iran's representative in London to the Foreign Office to express the U.K.'s anger over the Iranian president's remarks. Yesterday in Washington, U.S. President George W. Bush's spokesman said the Iranian comments highlight questions about whether Iran is developing an atomic bomb.
``We made our displeasure known,'' Tom Kelly, a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, said at today's EU meeting. ``We condemn in the strongest terms the president's comments.''
Middle East Violence
The U.S. and EU are backing the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel to curb violence in the region.
``The EU remains committed to a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute based on the principle of two states living side-by-side in peace and security,'' the EU leaders said.
Israel is seeking a formal condemnation of Iran by the United Nations and other unspecified diplomatic actions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.
``He called for the destruction of our country, of another UN member, and we don't believe the international community can let this stand,'' Regev said in a telephone interview from Jerusalem. `` We've raised the issue with the secretary general and at the Security Council.''
Regev said Iran bore responsibility for yesterday's suicide bombing because it funds Islamic Jihad, the group that claimed responsibility for the attack.
``The problem isn't only the extreme and hateful language,'' Regev said. ``It's that these statements actually reflect the policies of the regime that have been implemented over the years, such as sponsoring suicide bombers.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Reed Landberg in Hampton Court outside London at 240 or landberg@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 27, 2005 10:32 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=a1jVZoacuWaA&refer=europe
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