Berlin Wants Harder Line
January 17, 2008
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is expected to push the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to take a tougher stand on Iran when the countries meet in Berlin on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
"We believe such a resolution is necessary," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jäger said in announcing the meeting.
"Iran should not get the impression that the international community lacks determination and solidarity," Jäger said.
A search for consensus
Yet world leaders continue to grapple with how to best confront Iran, which has been accused of secretly trying to make an atomic bomb. The best approach became even more muddled by a recent US intelligence report claiming Iran stopped its nuclear arms program in 2003.
Iran insists its nuclear activities are peaceful. Yet the country has been dragging its feet on releasing information about past nuclear activities being done for military purposes. Iran had previously agreed to provide documentation by the end of 2007.
Iran's failure to meet the deadline has increased calls for a third round of sanctions, this time against Bank Melli and Bank Saderat. A previous sanction targeted Iran's Bank Sepah.
One diplomat said the Berlin talks could bring broad agreements about what should be done with Iran, but that there was no guarantee that parties could agree on specific actions.
China and Russia are generally thought to be against further sanctions, particularly in light of the recent US intelligence estimate saying that Iran has abandoned its nuclear weapons program.
High-level diplomacy urged
Steinmeier traveled to Vienna, Austria, for talks with the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Mohamed ElBaradei on Thursday. ElBaradei recently returned from a meeting with Iranian leaders. The IAEA continues to investigate Iran's nuclear history and has been trying to get cooperation from Tehran. ElBaradei called on Iran to end the restrictions placed on UN inspections which are carried out to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful.
Iran has agreed to answer remaining questions about covert nuclear work with military aims, according to the IAEA, which confirmed that Steinmeier and the IAEA chief would meet, but declined further comment. Diplomats told Reuters that ElBaradei could caution Steinmeier against more sanctions. Sanctions could be a pretext for Iran to delay answering outstanding questions.
Iran has threatened to do just that. After beginning to answer questions last fall, Iran threatened that it would stop cooperating if broader sanctions were imposed. ElBaradei has called for diplomacy, saying that sanctions alone will not resolve the dispute.
The US wants an agreement on further sanctions, said US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. The meeting will be a chance to discuss sanctions, but will also look to the future, he said.
"So it'll be both, talking about the here-and-now, the immediate, talking about the resolution, its contents, and then also talking about what happens after that," McCormack said.
Arrest compounds concern
Germany is watching the situation in Iran closely, particularly after a man with dual Iranian-German citizenship was arrested in Berlin on suspicion of smuggling nuclear material to Iran.
The 52-year-old businessman is accused of trying to send material to a company linked to Iran's nuclear program, according to the office of Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms.
Customs officials raided the man's home and office on Tuesday. According to the prosecuting authorities, he could face charges of smuggling prohibited material to a blacklisted company.