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'[T]he clock has begun to tick', US Representative to the
United Nations John R. Bolton on Iran, July 31, 2006
Statement by Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Representative
to the United Nations, on the adoption of Resolution 1696 on Iran,
at the Security Council, USUN PRESS RELEASE # 193(06) July 31,
2006.
Mr. President,
Four months have passed since the Security Council called upon
Iran to fully and verifiably suspend its nuclear programs, and
nearly two months have passed since the EU3-plus-three made its
generous offer inviting Iran to enter into negotiations and avoid
further Security Council Action. Let us not forget that this
diplomatic activity was preceded by more than three years of
Iranian noncompliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and
its IAEA Safeguards Agreement. Sadly, Iran has consistently and
brazenly defied the international community by continuing its
pursuit of nuclear weapons, and the continued intransigence and
defiance of the Iranian leadership demands a strong response from
this Council. The Resolution before us today does just that.
Mr. President, we are pleased the Council has taken clear and
firm action in passing this Resolution. The pursuit of nuclear
weapons by Iran constitutes a direct threat to international peace
and security and demands a clear statement from the Council in the
form of a tough Resolution.
This Resolution also demands action. It sends an unequivocal and
unambiguous message to Tehran: take the steps required by the IAEA
Board of Governors, including full and sustained suspension of all
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research
and development, and suspend construction of your heavy water
reactor. It also calls upon Member States to do what they can to
prevent the transfer of resources to Iran's nuclear and missile
programs, and Iran should understand that the United States and
others will ensure that the financial transactions associated with
its proliferant activities will be impeded as well. The United
States expects that Iran and all other UN Member States will
immediately act in accordance with the mandatory obligations of
this resolution passed by the Security Council.
This is the first UNSC resolution on Iran in response to its
nuclear weapons program, reflecting the gravity of this situation
and the unity and determination of the Council. We hope this
Resolution will demonstrate to Iran that the best way to end its
international isolation is to simply give up the pursuit of nuclear
weapons.
We look forward to Iran's full, unconditional and immediate
compliance with this Resolution. We hope that Iran makes the
strategic decision that the pursuit of WMD programs make it less
and not more secure. We need to be prepared, however, that Iran
might choose a different path. This is why it is important the
United States and other Member States have the expressed their
intention to adopt measures under Article 41 in the event that Iran
does not comply with this resolution.
In closing, I would like to thank all Members of the Council for
their efforts in helping us secure a strong Resolution.
Remarks by Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Representative to
the United Nations, on the adoption of Resolution 1696 on Iran and
the Situation in the Middle East, at the Security Council stakeout,
USUN PRESS RELEASE # 194(06) July 31, 2006.
Ambassador Bolton: I just wanted to say one thing first.
We're very pleased that the council has adopted Resolution 1696 by
a vote of 14- 1. And even though there was a dissenting vote, I
think it's clear that was a vote based on timing, not on the
substance of the resolution. So this is, in any event, a very
strong signal to Iran that they've got a choice to make. They can
either choose the route of cooperation and take up the very
generous offer made by the Perm-5- plus-Germany, in which case one
route is open to them. Or they can choose not to, in which case we
will be back here in a month looking at a sanctions resolution. So
the ball is now clearly in Iran's court. The choice is up to them.
And the clock has begun to tick. So I'll take your questions
now.
Reporter: Ambassador, the Iranians called the resolution
totally unwarranted and destructive. How do you respond to
that?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I thought it was interesting how
similar their reaction was to the North Korean reaction rejecting
Resolution 1695. In fact, if my understanding is correct, the
Iranians may have broken the North Korean record by rejecting this
resolution even before it was adopted, when it was just in blue. I
think it shows exactly what they think of the Security Council, and
I hope members take that into account if we still have Iranian
obfuscation or a flat rejection of the E.U.-3-plus-3 offer by
August the
31st.
Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, on the vote, you said the one
dissenting voice, that of Qatar I guess you mean, you said it's on
timing not on the substance of the resolution. Were you surprised?
Because the procedure had us believe this is a presidential draft
and that countries can tell if they have any objection on Saturday.
Did you know that they had objection? When did you know that the
countries involved to surprise you with a no -- or did they
surprise you with a no?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, we were informed of the vote
beforehand, and of the reasons for it, which, as I say, listening
to the explanation of votes, strike me as concerns about timing,
not about substance.
Reporter: In one hand, you know, you are complaining about
Hezbollah and the
Middle East in such turmoil, and the other hand you are supporting
the PKK in the north of Iraq (inaudible) Turkey into almost 50
years. How (inaudible) justice?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, actually that's not the case, but
not the subject of our discussions here, in any event.
Reporter: On this Iranian resolution which has passed, now
there is an indication that Iran may accept this deal before August
22, which they have been saying. So, in fact, if they do, this
resolution will still stand as a monitor of what Iran is doing or
will it die away?
Ambassador Bolton: No, the resolution will still be there,
obviously, as a signal to Iran. But if Iran wants to respond, they
should call Mr. Solana's office in Brussels. I'm sure he'll be
there or someone will answer the phone and they can give us an
answer, instead of the non-answer they've given us so far.
Reporter: Ambassador, in case Iran does not freeze its
enrichment program, do we need another resolution, or is this
resolution enough to set the motion forward of punitive
measures?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think the resolution says very
clearly that the Security
Council will come back to consider matters under Article 41 of the
charter, which provides for sanctions, among other things. But it's
also clear that in this resolution, 1696, that the council has made
a declaratory statement of policy and has made it mandatory on Iran
that it must suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocess
activities. So from that perspective, the resolution itself clearly
grants authority and imposes a mandatory obligation on Iran. And as
I said in my explanation of vote, the United States and others have
already taken steps previously in this connection, because you
don't need the authority of a Security Council resolution to do
that.
Reporter: In the Iranian point and the Qatari point of view
this morning at the session, it was very clear that the dissension
here would be about the sense of urgency. They're asking a little
bit why the Security Council is not acting urgently on Qana, while
on Iran it seems to be more urgent. Could you explain your comment
here?
Ambassador Bolton: I think if you look at the entire length
of the Iranian nuclear weapons program, some 18 or more years, this
is not exactly hasty action by the Security Council. And with
respect to the situation in Lebanon, I think the President, the
Secretary of State and others have said very clearly we hope to
move to a resolution this week in the Security Council that will
provide a political framework for a sustainable solution. So I
think we are moving very quickly on the situation in the Middle
East. I think we should.
Reporter: Ambassador, on Lebanon, there was supposed to be
a troop contributors meeting today. What happened? And also, the
French resolution calls for no creation of a multinational force
until after there's a political settlement. What does that do to,
sort of, the effort to try and put together a force soon?
Ambassador Bolton: We're going to have further discussions
with members of the Council on the resolution that we hope to adopt
this week. We'll have our own thoughts and perhaps circulate our
own resolution, perhaps as early as later today. And that work will
go on as rapidly as we can. The question of the meeting of the
troop contributor countries was as much a scheduling question as
anything else, because we were hoping for representatives from
capitals, and among other things there's a European foreign
ministers meeting in Brussels tomorrow, which meant that many of
the people who might have been able to come here to New York from
Europe would not be able to make it. So we're still working on
rescheduling that. But the intention is to go ahead. It has zero
political significance. This has to do with airline schedules.
Reporter: Ambassador, on the Israel resolution that you
might put forward later today, can you give us some indication of
what it's going to look like, how it would differ from the French
proposed draft; things along that?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think I'd prefer to wait until
we have the resolution to circulate around. But you can be sure
that it will be consistent with what the secretary has been saying
and president has been saying and the declaration from the Rome
meeting of last week.
Reporter:(inaudible) contribute troops at this hour
considering what happened in Qana and elsewhere?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think that it's important that
we show that there is desire to make the solution that we are
hoping to find in the region sustainable. And that, obviously,
entails the commitment of a number of countries to provide troops.
And I think that we'll have to work out as part of the political
solution. Let me just take one more question at this point.
Reporter: Last week, the Syrian ambassador to the U.N.
spoke of -- he's willing, his country is willing to discuss a
comprehensive solution of the Middle East with the official of the
United Nations, namely Secretary General Kofi Annan. Do you have
any plans -- are they (inaudible) to discuss with him the Syrian
solution in order to resolve the Lebanese problem?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think the burden on Syria is to
comply with Resolutions 1559 and 1595 and fulfill their obligations
to recognize that Lebanon is a free and independent state and to
stop the continuing efforts of the Syrian government to influence
the actions of the democratically elected government of Lebanon, as
well as to cooperate more fully in the Hariri Assassination
[investigation], not to mention stopping their supply of finance
and weapons to Hezbollah and other terrorist groups in Lebanon. So
I think Syria already has a long list of things to do that is not
done, and it really ought to focus on that before going any
further. Okay, we'll see you later today, because the Lebanese
acting foreign minister will be here at 3:00, so we'll have another
chance to...
Reporter: (inaudible)
Ambassador Bolton: It will be an open meeting at 3 o'clock
to hear the minister, as I understand it. And I think the
ambassador from Israel will participate, as well. Okay, thanks very
much.
Source: United States Mission to the United Nations, http://www.un.int/usa/06_193.htm.
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