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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| G8 ministers urge strong measures against Iran |
| 2010-03-31 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Foreign ministers from the Group of Eight leading industrial nations will call on the international community to take "appropriate and strong steps" to show its resolve over Iran's nuclear activities, as they end their two-day meeting in Canada on Tuesday. A draft of the final communique also said the G8 remained open to dialogue with Tehran, which denies widespread western charges that it is seeking to make atomic weapons. The communique is the latest step in a campaign of pressure by many of the world's most powerful nations to force Iran to comply with demands from the U.N. Security Council and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency. "Iran's continued noncompliance with its United Nations Security Council and IAEA obligations regarding its nuclear program is of serious concern to G8 ministers," said the final communique. "Ministers agreed to remain open to dialogue and also reaffirmed the need for the international community to take appropriate and strong steps to demonstrate ... resolve to uphold the international nuclear nonproliferation regime." The draft did not mention the word "sanctions." The three Western members of the Security Council -- the United States, France and Britain -- along with Germany have been pushing hard for a new round of sanctions against Iran. Russia has been less enthusiastic but has recently signaled it may come on board. But China, which enjoys close economic links to Iran, has repeatedly said that the world needs more time to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff. |
| Posted by:Fred |