 |
|
 |
| |
|
 |
For Regional
Security
|
By Kayhan Int’l
Staff Writer
Political pundits in the West are of the opinion that Iran
holds the key to the establishment of security in the
volatile region of Middle East. To this end, they are urging
Washington to hold direct talks with Tehran and drop the
rhetoric of “Iran Threat” and/or “All Options Are Open”.
On the other hand, Tehran strongly believes that the US and
its allies are the origin of all problems in the Middle East
and that they are using the rhetoric of Iranian threat to
justify their presence in the energy-rich region of Persian
Gulf.
Astonishingly, their allegations come at a time when Iran’s
military spending has been the lowest for years compared to
other Persian Gulf littoral states.
Just for the record, in 2005, Iran’s military spending
constituted to just about 3.8% of its GDP after the UAE’s
3%. The military spending for other states were 5.1%
Bahrain, 7.1% Qatar, 8.7% Saudi Arabia, 9.0% Kuwait, and
12.2% Oman.
Consequently, it is absurd to allege that under the
circumstances Iran still poses a great danger to the
security of other littoral states and that this justifies
the presence of western powers!
Having said that, Muslim nations of the region are
responsible for their own security and Tehran does not need
to hold talks with Washington to restore the region’s
security.
Quite the opposite, Tehran should hold talks with other
regional states as only regional cooperation can guarantee
regional security. To this end, Iran can utilize its special
geo-strategic position to become a bridge between the
energy-rich regions of the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.
The Iranian officials have always supported the idea of
drafting and enacting regional legislation to combat illicit
commercial ventures and trans-national crime, including
money laundering, people smuggling and terrorism; improve
the functioning of law and justice systems; and promote
peace building, conflict resolution and reconstruction in
conflict affected areas.
Indeed, Iran has always been part of the solution and not
the problem (as alleged by the West), and that after the
victory of 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country has always
endeavored to adopt a logical/realistic approach towards
regional/trans-boundary threats and transnational crimes –
regardless of US pressures and objections.
In brief, regional threats require a regional response as
they can only be managed effectively through local networks
and cooperation.
Regional cooperation can equally provide opportunities to
increase economic growth and streamline the costs of
government through greater integration with a focus on
security.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Solana, Jalili Hold 'Constructive
Talks': Iran's Nuclear Response Delivered
 TEHRAN,
June 4 (Dispatches) -- Iran delivered its response Friday to
a western package of proposals if it suspends a central part
of its nuclear program, state television reported.
Iran's ambassador to Belgium presented the response to
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in
Brussels and Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili,
spoke with Solana by phone, state TV and Iran's official
news agency said.
"The Islamic republic has prepared and presented a response
to the letter of the six countries with a constructive and
creative view and a focus on common ground," Jalili said.
A spokeswoman for Solana said he had held "positive" talks
with the Iranian side.
The state news agency IRNA quoted senior source at Iran's
Supreme National Security Council as saying that the
response was signed by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki.
Jalili also said both sides had agreed that talks would be
held again by the end of the current Iranian month of Tir,
which ends in two weeks, without elaborating.
Solana's spokeswoman, Cristina Gallach, said: "They had a
positive, constructive conversation. They agreed to remain
in contact."
She said Jalili announced that he would send a response to
the international package "very soon." It would contain
"more concrete elements," she added.
However Gallach underlined: "Even if we formally receive
(Iran's answer) some time will be needed to analyze it."
Solana and Jalili agreed during the conversation to hold the
latest in a series of talks in the second half of July,
state TV reported. Solana last met with Iranian officials in
mid-June, trying to get Tehran to accept the offer.
Acting on behalf of the five permanent members of the UN
Security Council and Germany, the EU's Solana offered the
modified package of economic incentives to Iran during his
June visit. The offer is meant to persuade Iran to halt
uranium enrichment.
Iran has insisted it will not give up enrichment, saying its
only aim is to produce nuclear power. But it has said the
incentives package has some "common ground'' with Tehran's
own proposals for a resolution to the standoff.
Iran's own more all-embracing offer is aimed at solving
world problems, including the nuclear issue.
Separately, EU nations also approved new sanctions against
Iran in June, imposing additional financial and travel
restrictions on a list of Iranian companies and experts,
including the country's largest bank.
The six nations -- the U.S., China, Russia, France, Britain
and Germany -- first offered a package of economic,
technological and political incentives to Tehran nearly two
years ago on condition that it suspend enrichment.
The standoff has led to increasingly tense exchanges
recently as speculation of a possible military strike
mounts.
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in remarks
published Friday that Iran would consider any military
action against its nuclear facilities as the beginning of a
war.
"Iran's response to any military action will make the
invaders regret their decision and action,'' Jafari said
late Thursday, according to the IRNA news agency.
In a newspaper interview last week, Jafari warned that if
attacked, Iran would barrage the occupying Israeli regime
with missiles and choke off the strategic Strait of Hormuz,
a narrow outlet for oil tankers leaving the Persian Gulf.
However, the general was also quoted as saying that he
thinks a strike by Iran's adversaries is unlikely.
Iran's top diplomat, Manouchehr Mottaki, told The Associated
Press in New York on Wednesday that the United States and
the Zionist regime would not risk the
"craziness'' of attacking his country and possibly provoking
a wider Middle East war or driving oil prices into uncharted
heights.
An Israeli military exercise last month was seen as a strong
warning to Iran.
Mottaki called the speculation of a military strike part of
"psychological warfare,'' according to Friday's IRNA report.
In an unusual move, a letter from the six world powers was
personally signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice along with her counterparts.
"Formal negotiations can start as soon as Iran's
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities are
suspended," said the text of the letter which was addressed
to both Mottaki and Jalili.
"We want to be clear that we recognize Iran's rights under
the international treaties... But with these rights come
responsibilities, in particular to restore the confidence of
the international community in Iran's nuclear program."
India Sees Iran Gas Deal 'by Next
Month'
MADRID, June 4 (AFP) — India expects to sign a
deal "by next month" on a pipeline that will transport gas
across the subcontinent from Iran, Indian Oil Minister Murli
Deora told AFP on Thursday.
He said the 7.5-billion-dollar (4.7-billion-euro) project to
bring gas from Iranian fields to India and Pakistan had been
discussed on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress
industry event, which ended in Madrid Thursday.
"We discussed this here again yesterday (Wednesday). There
should be an end to dialogue now," Deora said in an
interview with AFP at the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid
when asked about the project.
"The only issue is where to take the delivery, the delivery
point," he said, adding the two options were on the
India-Pakistan border or the Pakistan-Iran border.
"But these things are being sorted out at a very high level
now, and I hope by next month things will be okay," said the
minister of petroleum and natural gas.
Asked when the deal could be signed, he said: "I hope by
next month."
Talks on the 2,600-kilometre (1,615-mile)
Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline began in 1994 but were stalled
by tensions between India and Pakistan and disagreements
over prices and transit fees.
India and Pakistan reported last month that they had
resolved commercial differences holding up the deal.
India has been under pressure from the United States not to
do business with Iran.
But New Delhi, which imports more than 70% of its energy
needs, has been trawling for new supplies of oil and gas
while ramping up domestic production to sustain its booming
economy.
Earlier this year, New Delhi told Washington not to
interfere in its dealings with Iran after a State Department
spokesman said Washington would like India to put pressure
on Tehran over its nuclear program.
India said that Iran had the right to peaceful use of
nuclear energy but has asked Tehran to cooperate with the
United Nations nuclear watchdog. Tehran denies its nuclear
program is a cover for building atomic weapons.
India in 2005 signed another deal with Iran, which has the
world's second largest known gas reserves after Russia, for
the supply of five million tons of gas annually for 25
years.
Deori also rejected criticism that rising energy demands in
India and China were helping to push up oil prices.
"I don't think that (issue) should have found place here (at
the WPC)," he said.
"I think that China and India are consuming a small portion
of the energy, and to blame them -- that the sole reason for
price increases is India and China -- I don't think that's
fair," he said.
Divisions appeared to be growing between the oil powers and
consumer nations at the congress over how to bring down the
oil prices, which hit $145 a barrel Thursday.
Top officials from consumer and producer countries had
already met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 22 for talks
about resolving the problem of the runaway oil market, but
prices have risen since then.
But Deora rejected suggestions that the four-day WPC
congress had been a failure.
"There has been some movement. The very fact that everybody
met and everybody spoke about different angles and different
ideas ... is a great achievement. You don't expect the price
(of oil) to go down to 30 dollars... You have a dialogue and
you present your views."
Asked about Indian fuel subsidies, he said "it's very
sensitive, but what do you do when you have so many people
and the need for cheap energy."
India subsidizes fuel costs in a bid to ease the burden on
the poorest members of society.
But it has recently been forced to raise prices amid soaring
global crude oil costs, triggering anti-government
demonstrations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 | |