(Financial Times-UK) Mark Turner and Guy Dinmore - The U.S. laid out a step-by-step plan on Wednesday to apply pressure on Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons program, including the use of targeted sanctions. In Washington, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told a congressional committee that the U.S. wanted a UN statement to "condemn" Iran. Next, he said, the U.S. would move to a binding "Chapter Seven" UN resolution designed to "isolate" the Islamic regime and "hopefully influence its behavior." "But it's going to be incumbent upon our allies around the world, and interested countries, to show that they are willing to act, should the words and resolutions of the United Nations not suffice," Burns said. Analysts in Washington said Burns' remarks reflected a broad expectation in the Bush administration that it would not be able to persuade Russia and China to back meaningful sanctions, and that the U.S. would look to forming an ad hoc alliance of allies.
2006-03-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive