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UK denies divided policy on Iran

IRNA

London, Sept 18, IRNA -- Foreign Office Minister Chris Mullin denied 
Wednesday that the Prime Minister`s office and Foreign Office were 
divided over the UK`s foreign policy towards Iran. 
Accusation of the split were raised by veteran Conservative MP, 
Sir Teddy Taylor, in a brief debate on UK-Iran relations in 
parliament`s parrallel chamber, Wedminister Hall. 
Taylor said that he was "very upset about the abrupt" change in 
British policy towards Iran, which he traced to Prime Minister Tony 
Blair`s meeting with Israel`s Ariel Sharon in London in July. 
He said it was a "huge error" to have negative relations with 
Iran. Iran, he said, was "one of the most sensible countries in the 
Middle East. 
The Conservative MP compared the controvery over the government`s 
claim that Iraq could use weapons of mass destruction within 45 
minutes with the 45 days demand made by the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) for Iran to cooperate. 
He said he had been surprised by the demand because the last 
report from IAEA`s director general has said there had been increased 
cooperation with Iran and access had been given to additional 
locations. 
It seemed "almost foolish and arrogant" to deal with Iran in such 
a way, Taylor said and suggested that the first basic issue for the 
US and UK to reolve was to have "humility." 
He believed that the US and UK "only supported democracy when it 
suited" and quoted such examples as the support given to the deposed 
shah opf Iran and to Iraq in its war against Iran. 
Then there was the "frightful destruction" of an Iranian Airbus 
over the Persian Gulf in 1988, which the US did not even apologise 
for, he said. 
Although Taylor said he was not an expert on Iran and had never 
visited the country, but suggested that it was easy to see that 
Britain was thrwoing away an opportunity to improve relations and 
were instead treating Iran with "near contempt." 
In response, Mullin said that there was "no doubt" that Iran was a 
country of growing international importance and there was a string 
British interest in the policies pursued by its government. 
He described the British government`s policy towards Iran as 
persuing a "constructive but when necessary critical engagement" and 
cited cooperation in such areas as the fight against drugs, the 
reconstruction of Afghnaistan and in efforts to stabilise Iraq. 
The UK supported President Mohammad Khatami`s civil society based 
upon the rule of law, the Foreign Office minister said. But although 
there was a string mandate for reform, he said the situation was 
complex and expressed hope he would succeed. 
Mullin said that it would be wrong not to set out concerns about 
Iran, specifying there were worries about human rights, support for 
terrorist groups, the development of weapons of mass destruction and 
Iran`s nuclear program. 
But he insisted the British government was united in its support 
against terrorism and would do all it can to support engagement in 
what he described as a "two-way process." 
HC/212 
End