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| Sunday, 21 November 2004 |
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US should give up its unilateral policy on world issues - Iran's Dy. FM by M.P. Muttiah Dr. Hamid Reza Assefi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran told Sunday Observer that the United States should give up its unilateral policy on international issues since it had proved to be a failure. On the appointment of new senior officials such as Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State, and Stephen Hadley as National Security Adviser, who had warned of Iran over its nuclear programme, Assefi said that they were purely internal affairs of the United States. On past experience, the American administration should lean more on multilateralism and cooperate with the international community. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, commenting on the reports that the US Secretary of State Colin Powell might use the conference on Iraq to be held in Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt on November 22 and 23 as an opportunity to express more about US concerns directly, said that about 20 countries would participate in it and Iran would present its position clearly. Apart from certain countries of the region, some other European nations too were against the American policy. He said that was time that America changed its policy and there was no alternative for it to get the support of the international community. Assefi touching on the question on the US insistence of verification over suspension of nuclear enrichment from November 22, Assefi said that officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency had visited Iran several times. Iran had fulfilled its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and it was accepted by the IAEA. The United States always claimed that Iran had a nuclear enrichment plan, but it was a baseless allegation which was directed not only against Iran, but also against certain others. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister said that the reports of US Marine officers which said that they had captured foreign militants including Iranians in Faluja were no true. He said that they had made allegations on the involvement of Iranians in the Iraqi militancy, but Iraqi authorities had failed to substantiate this claim with documentary proof. Assefi said Iran always favoured the Palestinian people. Now, there was a vacuum of personality in the Palestinian leadership. Now Israelis used this opportunity to continue their aggression. It is time for the Palestinians to realise the delicate situation and forge unity and solidarity among themselves to thwart the attempts of Israel towards the establishment of Palestinian State. Meanwhile, at a press conference held in Colombo, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister greatly appreciated the stance of the political leadership of Sri Lanka on this issue. He said there were several areas of cooperation including investment, which would foster the ties between the two countries. Certain agreements would be signed when Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga visits Iran next week. The agreements would include cooperation in the fields of agriculture, economic and investment and talks would be held on the supply of crude oil to Sri Lanka. Answering a question on the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, he said that it should be solved within the framework of unity and territorial integrity of the country and added that Iran was also a multi-ethnic country like Sri Lanka. Commenting on the suspension of Iranian nuclear programmes, the minister said that his country was using nuclear power as an alternative energy. He pointed out that the suspension would be in force for three months and further talks would be held with the European Union. Behnam Behrouz, the Iranian Ambassador in Sri Lanka, also attended the press meet. |
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