WORLD / Middle East
Iran seeks UN OK to make nuclear case
(AP)
Updated: 2007-03-16 08:49
UNITED NATIONS - Iran's UN Mission sent a letter Thursday requesting that
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad be allowed to speak before the Security
Council when it votes on new sanctions against Tehran for its refusal to
suspend uranium enrichment, the council president said.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures during a visit to the 'Cuba
Libre' neighborhood in Managua, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007. [AP]
South Africa's UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said he would present Iran's
request to the 14 other council members Friday.
Special coverage:
Iran Nuke Issue
Related readings:
Major powers closer to Iran sanctions
Key nations split over Iran sanctions
Bush presses Iran, Syria to help Iraq
US opens door to bilateral talks with Iran
Iran denies halt to uranium enrichment
FM calls for Iran, IAEA cooperation
"The Security Council will have to decide whether they accommodate this
or not," said Kumalo, whose country holds the rotating council
presidency. "The challenge right now is that we don't know when this
could be."
Kumalo said under the UN Charter and Security Council rules, if a member
state has an issue before the council and requests to appear before its
members, "this must be considered."
Richard Grenell, spokesman for the US Mission to the United Nations, said
the US has received official visa requests for an Iranian delegation.
He refused to disclose any details, but a council diplomat said Iran
asked for visas for 38 people to accompany Ahmadinejad, including Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali
Larijani.
The request from Iran's UN Ambassador Javad Zarif arrived as the
council's five veto-wielding members - the United States, Russia, China,
Britain and France - and Germany agreed on a modest package of new
sanctions to step up the pressure on Tehran to suspend enrichment.
Their draft resolution was presented to the 10 non-permanent members, who
were not part of the negotiations and will now send it to their capitals
to be studied.
The full council isn't expected to discuss the draft resolution until
Wednesday, Kumalo said, so the earliest possible vote would be late next
week, though the timetable could change.
Iran has rejected UN demands that it halt enrichment, insisting its
nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at producing energy. The US and its
European allies are concerned its real aim is to produce nuclear weapons.
Earlier Thursday, Ahmadinejad called the Security Council an
"illegitimate" body and said any new sanctions imposed on his country
would only stimulate it to be self-sufficient and further develop nuclear
technology.
Acting US Ambassador Alejandro Wolff, reacting to that comment and the
possibility of the Iranian president addressing the council, said: "I
find it ironic that a president who's quoted today saying that he tears
up Security Council resolutions and has no respect for what the council
does, is interested in coming and speaking to the council."
Top World News
� 9/11 mastermind confesses in Guantanamo
� World powers agree on new Iran sanctions
� DPRK 'committed' to disarmament pact
� Bush seeks better ties in Latin America
� 9 dead in Thailand passenger van attack
Today's Top News
� China regrets US move on Macao bank
� Auditor: 31 billion yuan misused
� Law 'needed for weapon research'
� Mohammed exaggerated 9/11 claims
� What's behind increase in the military budget
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learn Chinese, Learn Mandarin online, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment