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EU may impose sanctions on Iran if talks fail
The European Union could impose sanctions on Iran if efforts to take the Islamic republic to the United Nations Security Council fail, warned Austrian Ambassador to Israel Kurt Hengl, whose country assumes the EU presidency Sunday.

"If Iran, instead of saying, 'We want to talk,' says, 'We don't need to talk, do what you want,' Europe will have to do something," Hengl told The Jerusalem Post.

Meanwhile, according to German media reports, the US Administration is preparing its NATO allies for a possible military strike against suspected nuclear sites in Iran in the New Year. The Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel last week quoted "NATO intelligence sources" as claiming that the NATO allies had been informed that the United States is currently investigating all possibilities of bringing the mullah-led regime into line, including military options.

Referring to European efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear development program, the Austrian envoy told the Post that Algeria could potentially block Security Council action. "It is enough if sanctions are imposed by the European Union," he added.

Europe could use its status as a major trading partner with Iran as diplomatic leverage. The United States, which already has imposed various sanctions against Iran, has been enlisting allies to clamp down trade restrictions should the UN prove ineffective.

At the same time, Hengl urged Israel not to attack Iran. "Israel should not do it," Hengl said, in what he qualified as his personal opinion. "Whatever the outcome is, it will not increase sympathy for Israel, not in the area, not in Europe, and not in the world." He continued that it was "contrary to international law" because Iran's capabilities are unknown. "Can Israel prove that what Iran has, or will have perhaps, is a threat toward Israel?" Hengl asked.
Nukes. Holocaust denial. Threats to remove Israel from the planet. What else would one need.
"If it's a threat toward the world community, people will say, 'Excuse me, why do you make yourself so important? Why don't you wait for more?' Any action taken," he added, "should be done by a larger group." He also noted that Israel is in the midst of elections and some of the rhetoric on Iran should be understood in this context.
It should be done by a larger group, but it won't. The call for a 'larger group' is a call for inaction and passivity. It will have to be done by one nation or a small group of nations. No large group will act.

Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-01-01
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=138781