U.N. to sanction Iran over nuclear program
EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061223.wiran1223/BNStory/International/home
12月23日，联合国安理会15个成员国在美国纽约联合国总部就伊朗核问题决议草案进行表决。安理会当日一致赞成通过含有制裁内容的伊朗核问题决议草案。
UNITED NATIONS ― The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose economic sanctions on Iran for refusing to end a uranium enrichment program that the United States says is aimed at building nuclear weapons.
Iran immediately rejected the resolution.
The result of two months of negotiation, the resolution orders all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs. It also would freeze Iranian assets of key companies and individuals related to those programs.
If Iran refuses to comply, the resolution warns Iran that the council will adopt further nonmilitary sanctions.
Related to this article
ranian ambassador to the United Nations M. Javad Zarif responds to a vote by the United Nations Security Council Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006 at the United Nations headquarters.
ranian ambassador to the United Nations M. Javad Zarif responds to a vote by the United Nations Security Council Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006 at the United Nations headquarters. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)
The Iranian government immediately rejected the resolution, vowing in a statement from Tehran to continue enriching uranium and saying it “has not delegated its destiny to the invalid decisions of the U.N. Security Council.”
The Bush administration said it hopes the resolution will clear the way for tougher measures by individual countries, particularly Russia.
“We don't think this resolution is enough in itself,” Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said. “We want to let the Iranians know that there is a big cost to them,” he added, so they will return to talks.
The administration had pushed for tougher penalties. But Russia and China, which both have strong commercial ties to Tehran, and Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, balked. To get their votes, the resolution dropped penalties such as a ban on international travel by Iranian officials involved in nuclear and missile development.
The U.N. vote came just a day after talks with North Korea, already under U.N. sanctions, failed to halt that country's atomic program.
Israel, which considers Iran its single greatest threat, welcomed the resolution. Mark Regev, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the vote was “an important first step in preventing Iranian nuclear proliferation.”
Iran's U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif denounced the council for imposing sanctions on Iran, which opposes nuclear weapons and has its facilities under U.N. safeguards, while doing nothing about Israel, whose prime minister recently appeared to confirm long suspicions that it is a nuclear power.
“A nation is being punished for exercising its inalienable rights” to develop nuclear energy, primarily at the behest of the United States, Mr. Zarif said.
Ahead of the vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Bush, agreeing on the need for a resolution, said Blain Rethmeier, a spokesman for Mr. Bush.
“We hope the Russian government is going to work with us in a very active way to send this message of unity to Iran and we hope Russia is going to take a very vigorous approach itself,” Mr. Burns said after the vote.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow agreed to sanctions because it wanted Iran “to lift remaining concerns over its nuclear program.”
He stressed that the goal must be to resume talks. If Iran suspends enrichment and reprocessing, the resolution calls for a suspension of sanctions “which would pave the way for a negotiated solution,” Mr. Churkin said.
Acting U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said he hopes the sanctions “will convince Iran that the best way to ensure security it to abandon” nuclear enrichment.
Iran insists its nuclear program is intended to produce energy, but the Americans and Europeans suspect its ultimate goal is the production of weapons.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Tuesday that Security Council sanctions would not stop Iran from pursuing uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel for civilian purposes or fuel for a nuclear bomb.
The resolution authorizes action under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. It allows the Security Council to impose nonmilitary sanctions such as severing diplomatic and economic relations, transportation and communications links.
If Iran fails to comply, the draft says the council will adopt “further appropriate measures” under Article 41.
The resolution calls on all states “to exercise vigilance” regarding the entry or transit through their territory of those on a U.N. list that names 12 top Iranians involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs. It asks the 191 other U.N. member states to notify a Security Council committee that will be created to monitor sanctions when those Iranians show up in their country.
The resolution also says the council will review Iran's actions in light of a report from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, requested within 60 days, on whether Iran has suspended uranium enrichment and complied with other IAEA demands.
If the IAEA ― the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog ― verifies that Iran has suspended enrichment and reprocessing, the resolution says the sanctions will be suspended to allow for negotiations. It says sanctions will end as soon as the IAEA board confirms that Iran has complied with all its obligations.
Before the final text was circulated, Mr. Churkin pressed for amendments to ensure that Moscow can conduct legitimate nuclear activities in Iran ― a point Mr. Churkin stressed Saturday.
Russia is building Iran's first atomic power plant at Bushehr, which is expected to go on line in late 2007. A reference to Bushehr in the original draft was removed earlier ― as Russia demanded.
The six key parties trying to curb Iran's nuclear program ― Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States ― offered Tehran a package of economic incentives and political rewards in June if it agreed to consider a long-term moratorium on enrichment and committed itself to a freeze on uranium enrichment before talks on its nuclear program.
That package remains an option, but with Iran refusing to comply with an Aug. 31 council deadline to stop enrichment, Britain and France circulated a draft sanctions resolution in late October, which has been revised several times since then.
To meet concerns of Russia and China that the original resolution was too broad, it was changed to specify in greater detail exactly what materials and technology would be prohibited from being supplied to Iran and to name those individuals and companies that would be affected.
12月23日，在美国纽约联合国总部，中国常驻联合国代表王光亚（前右）在安理会发言
新华网联合国１２月２３日电 （记者 王湘江 刘历彬） 联合国安理会２３日一致通过决议，决定对伊朗实行一系列与其核计划和弹道导弹项目有关的禁运、冻结资产和限制相关人员出国旅行等制裁措施。
决议要求伊朗立即停止所有与铀浓缩、重水反应堆有关的活动，要求世界各国对进出伊朗的与铀浓缩、重水反应堆和弹道导弹相关的物资、技术和设备实行禁运。
决议还要求各国冻结与伊朗核计划和弹道导弹项目有关的人员和公司的资产，防止向伊朗提供相关的技术和资金支持，在有关人员出入境时进行严密监督并向安理会下属的制裁委员会进行报告。
联合国安理会７月３１日通过的第１６９６号决议要求伊朗在８月３１日之前暂停所有与铀浓缩相关的活动，否则就有可能面临制裁。伊朗拒绝接受这一决议，但强调愿意就核问题进行没有任何先决条件的谈判。
EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061223.wiran1223/BNStory/International/home
12月23日，联合国安理会15个成员国在美国纽约联合国总部就伊朗核问题决议草案进行表决。安理会当日一致赞成通过含有制裁内容的伊朗核问题决议草案。
UNITED NATIONS ― The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose economic sanctions on Iran for refusing to end a uranium enrichment program that the United States says is aimed at building nuclear weapons.
Iran immediately rejected the resolution.
The result of two months of negotiation, the resolution orders all countries to stop supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs. It also would freeze Iranian assets of key companies and individuals related to those programs.
If Iran refuses to comply, the resolution warns Iran that the council will adopt further nonmilitary sanctions.
Related to this article
ranian ambassador to the United Nations M. Javad Zarif responds to a vote by the United Nations Security Council Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006 at the United Nations headquarters.
ranian ambassador to the United Nations M. Javad Zarif responds to a vote by the United Nations Security Council Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006 at the United Nations headquarters. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)
The Iranian government immediately rejected the resolution, vowing in a statement from Tehran to continue enriching uranium and saying it “has not delegated its destiny to the invalid decisions of the U.N. Security Council.”
The Bush administration said it hopes the resolution will clear the way for tougher measures by individual countries, particularly Russia.
“We don't think this resolution is enough in itself,” Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said. “We want to let the Iranians know that there is a big cost to them,” he added, so they will return to talks.
The administration had pushed for tougher penalties. But Russia and China, which both have strong commercial ties to Tehran, and Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, balked. To get their votes, the resolution dropped penalties such as a ban on international travel by Iranian officials involved in nuclear and missile development.
The U.N. vote came just a day after talks with North Korea, already under U.N. sanctions, failed to halt that country's atomic program.
Israel, which considers Iran its single greatest threat, welcomed the resolution. Mark Regev, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the vote was “an important first step in preventing Iranian nuclear proliferation.”
Iran's U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif denounced the council for imposing sanctions on Iran, which opposes nuclear weapons and has its facilities under U.N. safeguards, while doing nothing about Israel, whose prime minister recently appeared to confirm long suspicions that it is a nuclear power.
“A nation is being punished for exercising its inalienable rights” to develop nuclear energy, primarily at the behest of the United States, Mr. Zarif said.
Ahead of the vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Bush, agreeing on the need for a resolution, said Blain Rethmeier, a spokesman for Mr. Bush.
“We hope the Russian government is going to work with us in a very active way to send this message of unity to Iran and we hope Russia is going to take a very vigorous approach itself,” Mr. Burns said after the vote.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow agreed to sanctions because it wanted Iran “to lift remaining concerns over its nuclear program.”
He stressed that the goal must be to resume talks. If Iran suspends enrichment and reprocessing, the resolution calls for a suspension of sanctions “which would pave the way for a negotiated solution,” Mr. Churkin said.
Acting U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said he hopes the sanctions “will convince Iran that the best way to ensure security it to abandon” nuclear enrichment.
Iran insists its nuclear program is intended to produce energy, but the Americans and Europeans suspect its ultimate goal is the production of weapons.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Tuesday that Security Council sanctions would not stop Iran from pursuing uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel for civilian purposes or fuel for a nuclear bomb.
The resolution authorizes action under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. It allows the Security Council to impose nonmilitary sanctions such as severing diplomatic and economic relations, transportation and communications links.
If Iran fails to comply, the draft says the council will adopt “further appropriate measures” under Article 41.
The resolution calls on all states “to exercise vigilance” regarding the entry or transit through their territory of those on a U.N. list that names 12 top Iranians involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs. It asks the 191 other U.N. member states to notify a Security Council committee that will be created to monitor sanctions when those Iranians show up in their country.
The resolution also says the council will review Iran's actions in light of a report from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, requested within 60 days, on whether Iran has suspended uranium enrichment and complied with other IAEA demands.
If the IAEA ― the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog ― verifies that Iran has suspended enrichment and reprocessing, the resolution says the sanctions will be suspended to allow for negotiations. It says sanctions will end as soon as the IAEA board confirms that Iran has complied with all its obligations.
Before the final text was circulated, Mr. Churkin pressed for amendments to ensure that Moscow can conduct legitimate nuclear activities in Iran ― a point Mr. Churkin stressed Saturday.
Russia is building Iran's first atomic power plant at Bushehr, which is expected to go on line in late 2007. A reference to Bushehr in the original draft was removed earlier ― as Russia demanded.
The six key parties trying to curb Iran's nuclear program ― Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States ― offered Tehran a package of economic incentives and political rewards in June if it agreed to consider a long-term moratorium on enrichment and committed itself to a freeze on uranium enrichment before talks on its nuclear program.
That package remains an option, but with Iran refusing to comply with an Aug. 31 council deadline to stop enrichment, Britain and France circulated a draft sanctions resolution in late October, which has been revised several times since then.
To meet concerns of Russia and China that the original resolution was too broad, it was changed to specify in greater detail exactly what materials and technology would be prohibited from being supplied to Iran and to name those individuals and companies that would be affected.
12月23日，在美国纽约联合国总部，中国常驻联合国代表王光亚（前右）在安理会发言
新华网联合国１２月２３日电 （记者 王湘江 刘历彬） 联合国安理会２３日一致通过决议，决定对伊朗实行一系列与其核计划和弹道导弹项目有关的禁运、冻结资产和限制相关人员出国旅行等制裁措施。
决议要求伊朗立即停止所有与铀浓缩、重水反应堆有关的活动，要求世界各国对进出伊朗的与铀浓缩、重水反应堆和弹道导弹相关的物资、技术和设备实行禁运。
决议还要求各国冻结与伊朗核计划和弹道导弹项目有关的人员和公司的资产，防止向伊朗提供相关的技术和资金支持，在有关人员出入境时进行严密监督并向安理会下属的制裁委员会进行报告。
联合国安理会７月３１日通过的第１６９６号决议要求伊朗在８月３１日之前暂停所有与铀浓缩相关的活动，否则就有可能面临制裁。伊朗拒绝接受这一决议，但强调愿意就核问题进行没有任何先决条件的谈判。
