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South Africa, Venezuela reaffirm support for Iran’s nuclear program
South Africa as a leading member of the Non-Aligned Movement and a key player in the African Continent along with Venezuela in South America have again voiced their support for Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. South African Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna has said that based on investigations and analysis carried out so far by the IAEA, Iran has not deviated from its peaceful nuclear program.
Saying 'peaceful' twice doesn't make it any more true.
Abdulsamad Minti, in an interview with Radio Johannesburg on concerns of some nations over Iran's nuclear activities, said that only Western powers have complained about the issue. He further voiced South Africa's belief that the nuclear row should be resolved within the frameworks of the IAEA regulations. He also warned that any referral of Iran’s nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council will dramatically politicize the issue.

[Minti] also criticized the IAEA's February resolution to report Iran to the UN Security Council saying that it would have been much wiser for the Board of Governors to wait for the IAEA chief Mohamed Elbaradei's report in March to make a decision. He said Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA has been constructive in resolving many related issues. He further urged Tehran to continue its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

The South African official also stressed the need for all countries to abide by the NPT.

"Those nations which want Iran not to have nuclear weapons should also embark on destroying their own atomic arsenal. The international community should be convinced that all nations respect the NPT," he said.

The Venezuelan government, in a statement, said its support for Iran's nuclear activities does not mean support for a particular country, stressing such a stance originated from a principled view on the nations' rights to make progress and development including in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
That's three times...
The statement reiterated Venezuela's commitment to the NPT and said certain powers which claim to implement the NPT, possess nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction, and violate disarmament treaties. Caracas always defends promotion of peace in the world and calls on all governments to remain committed to nuclear disarmament treaties, it added...

It said that IAEA inspectors proved no deviation from Iran's peaceful nuclear activities towards military purposes, adding that any decision against Iran would set an ominous precedence which would allow big powers to prevent efforts of other countries to attain technological independence.
That's four...
The statement also pointed to Iran's voluntary suspension of nuclear activities and the West's opposition to the country's decision to resume nuclear work and said that the voluntary measures of governments should not be regarded as their duties. The Venezuelan government criticized the recent resolution adopted by the IAEA Board, saying the IAEA should not forget that its main duty is to promote and accelerate access of all countries to development and scientific use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
And there's number five.
The IAEA Board of Governors on Feb 4 approved a resolution proposed by the European Union troika (Germany, France and Britain) on Iran. The resolution was passed with 27 votes in favor and three against while five members abstained. Cuba, Venezuela and Syria voted against the draft resolution while Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa gave a vote of abstention. Venezuela is the only country that has always voted against any resolution against Iran's peaceful nuclear plan.
And an even half-dozen!

Posted by: Pappy 2006-02-13
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=142460