Tracking Number: 395838
Title: "US Welcomes G-7 Statement on Nuclear Cooperation with Iran." The US welcomed a statement issued at the G-7 summit urging nations to avoid any "collaboration" that might
help Iran produce nuclear weapons. (950617)
Translated Title: EU aplaude declaracion G-& sobre cooperacion nuclear con Iran. (950617)
Author: SULLIVAN, ALEXANDER M (USIA STAFF WRITER)
Date: 19950617
Text:
*SFF603
06/17/95 U.S. WELCOMES G-7 STATEMENT ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH IRAN (Calls it "strong embrace" of Clinton's stance) (930) By Alexander M. Sullivan USIA White House Correspondent Halifax -- Nations of the world should avoid any "collaboration" that might help Iran produce nuclear weapons, leaders of the G-7 nations declared June 17.
U.S. officials hailed the language in the written "chairman's statement" issued at the Halifax summit, calling it a "strong embrace" of President Clinton's stance opposing sale of any nuclear-related technology to Tehran and a realization of one of his major objectives at the summit. Russia, which joins the G-7 for political discussions, subscribed to the chairman's statement, although not to the verbal remarks he delivered on behalf of the seven.
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, the summit chairman, told reporters the leaders discussed Iran and Tehran's purported ambition to become a nuclear weapons state. In his verbal comments, Chretien said the G-7 nations "have adopted restrictive policies of nuclear cooperation" with Iran, including "a ban on transfer of nuclear reactors or associated activities, out of our grave concern that such cooperation could be misused by Iran toward a nuclear weapons program."
Chretien added that if "evidence emerges to buttress these concerns, we would all immediately curtail any nuclear cooperation program with Iran."
Russia, which wants to sell light water nuclear reactors to Iran over Clinton's protest, did not join in endorsing the verbal strictures. But it joined in the written political statement calling on all nations "to avoid any collaboration with Iran which might contribute to the acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability." All eight nations urged Iran "to desist from supporting radical groups" intent on destroying the Middle East peace process and "to reject terrorism."
Sandy Berger, Clinton's deputy national security adviser, told reporters the difference of opinion between Moscow and Washington over whether Russia's intended sale would enhance the probability of an Iranian nuclear weapons program will be hammered out in Moscow later this month when Vice President Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin meet.
Berger said Clinton had sought "a clear statement" on Iran by both the G-7 and by Russia. "We have obtained the strongest language the leaders have ever used with respect to condemning the behavior, the conduct, the pattern of action of the Iranian government in support of terrorism and subversion of the peace process," he asserted.
He noted that the agreed language subscribed to by Russia and the other seven represents a ban on cooperation with Tehran's nuclear program "to the extent that it enhances" Iran's ability to move beyond civilian power uses of the atom. "Today," Burger pointed out, "Prime Minister Chretien went beyond that in his statement speaking for the seven," citing agreement on "restrictive policies on nuclear cooperation." One of the restrictions, he said, "is a ban on transfer of nuclear reactors or associated activities out of grave concern" that Iran might misuse the technology. "It was a very, very strong embrace by the seven of our position that cooperation" with Iran "would conceivably enhance Iran's" nuclear weapons capacity, he said.
Berger made the point that the language agreed on by all eight nations "includes very strong language condemning Iran generally and...indicating that the eight do not believe there should be cooperation furthering Iran's nuclear program."
He said Chretien's verbal remarks on behalf of the seven represented "somewhat stronger views indicating that they were foregoing nuclear cooperation with Iran...because in their judgment, as with ours, they believe such cooperation could or would enhance Iran's nuclear weapons capability."
Peter Tarnoff, undersecretary of state, said the summit had agreed to "very good language on Iran," especially in light of the tenor of statements at previous meetings. He pointed out the eight took specific note of the death threat against author Salmon Rushdie for allegedly blasphemous writings about the Muslim religion.
He said there was strong consensus as well to continue to pressure Iraq and Libya to fully comply with resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
Chretien, who had sought to conduct a no-frills summit, called it "a very good meeting. We have had more meetings than other summits, and we have worked very hard. The mood has been very good."
President Clinton concurred, telling reporters Chretien's "direction and leadership" had produced a "more business-like, more informal, and more specific" gathering.
The G-7 leaders repeated their call for an end to the fighting in Bosnia and condemned taking of hostages by Serb forces there. They welcomed the United Nations resolution authorizing a Rapid Reaction Force to bolster the United Nations Protection Force(UNPROFOR); they said it would "facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and promote conditions for a lasting peace."
Chretien told questioners there was no specific discussion of war crimes in Bosnia, explaining that some Serbs are already under indictment by an international court, and insisting it is a foregone conclusion that those responsible for atrocities will by tried by an international tribunal.
Tarnoff said Yeltsin was "fully supportive" of the G-7's June 15 statement urging all sides in Bosnia to end hostilities and agree on a negotiated settlement. The Russians, he said, "felt it was necessary to issue the statement. They were on board, totally, and believed that they could associate themselves fully with what the seven had said the night before."
He said that on European security issues such as the Partnership of Peace and the eventual expansion of NATO, there was agreement among the eight "on common principles and concepts."
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File Identification: 06/17/95, SFF603; 06/17/95, SFF603; 06/20/95, ERF208
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Languages: Spanish; Russian
Keywords: NUCLEAR WEAPONS; IRAN/Defense & Military; GROUP OF SEVEN (G-7); ECONOMIC SUMMIT MEETINGS; TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Thematic Codes: 1AC
Target Areas: AF; AR; EA; EU; NE
PDQ Text
Link: 395838; 396009
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