excerpt from 'UK Foreign Secretary Miliband on Andrew Marr Show'
Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, was interviewed in the Andrew Marr show on Sunday 9 November on Obama's election and foreign policy issues.
Quote:
AM: Iran. Inconceivable that there would be a sudden attack before there's a change of presidency.
DM: Well I think that we, and by that I mean the Americans as well as European countries and China and Russia, are a hundred per cent focused on a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian problem. The Iranian problem, let's be absolutely clear, is that the Government of Iran is in defiance of five UN Security Council resolutions. It's in defiance of the International Atomic Energy Authority as well. Why? 'Cause we can not, because they have not been able to show that their intentions in respect of nuclear power are purely civilian.
The danger from Iran is that the pursuit of a nuclear weapon by that country triggers an arms race in the Middle East and for all the problems in the Middle East the last thing it can stand is an, is a nuclear arms race. And so the stakes are very high.
2009 is going to be a very important year for the Iranian issue and the ball is in the Iranian court. We, along with the Americans, have made a very clear offer to Iran, economic benefit, civilian nuclear power benefit is on the table if you suspend your programme that is leaking in to a nuclear weapons programme, that is why the stakes are so high.
AM: And to be absolutely clear, you said a hundred per cent focus on a diplomatic solution. So before January the 20th, no kind of attack, nothing, nothing because there's been this talk as you know of President Bush wanting to finish this business before he leaves.
DM: President Bush and Condoleezza Rice decided to send the most senior American diplomat to the talks process that was held with allies from Europe and Russia and China with the Iranians. That was a very significant acknowledgement that it is the diplomatic track that needs to work. But the ball is in the Iranian court. They are in defiance of successive UN Security Council resolutions. The situation is serious, because the whole Arab world, never mind Israel, are extremely concerned about the nuclear weapon pretensions of Iran.
The danger from Iran is that the pursuit of a nuclear weapon by that country triggers an arms race in the Middle East and for all the problems in the Middle East the last thing it can stand is an, is a nuclear arms race. And so the stakes are very high.
Oh and Iraqi occupation doesn't do this?? Right hmm yea!! _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:29 am Post subject:
Okay, some commentary here.
Isreali elections around February time. Our friend from 7/7, Netanyahu, set to win. Will Obama be to Netenyahu what Blair was to Bush?
A former senior US commander says Israel should overcome its "fear" that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Tel Aviv.
Retired navy admiral William Fallon, the former commander of US forces in the Middle East, said in an interview with the Jerusalem Post that Israel must give a rest to its claims about Iran's nuclear program.
Israel, the possessor of the sole nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, alleges that Iran has "plans" to develop a military nuclear program.
Iran denies the allegations, insisting that its work is directed at the civilian applications of the technology.
Fallon, who abruptly resigned in March after he reportedly broke ranks with the White House over the policies of the Bush administration on Iran, said he is unable to understand why Iran would even contemplate using nuclear weapons against Israel.
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