BASIC MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 1 September 2006 - IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New report
Global security experts warn against sanctions on Iran
Full text of the report is available at: http://www.basicint.org/pubs/Notes/BN060901.htm.
Imposing sanctions on Iran would be counter productive, according
to a new report by British and American global security experts.
According to the report, rather than forcing Iran to accept an
end to Uranium enrichment, imposing sanctions at this stage would
cut off what could be viable options for a future solution.
Dr Ian Davis, Executive Director of BASIC said, "The take-it-or-leave-it
diplomacy that the Security Council has engaged in so far was never
going to get results. We must take a step back, reconsider the strategy,
and consider the Iranian counter-proposals seriously. A tight inspections
regime, restricted nuclear development and an Iran more in tune
with the international community is still possible. Far from a solution,
sanctions at this stage would escalate the crisis, bolster the regime
and make disastrous military action more likely."
Members of the UN Security Council are currently considering their
next steps in the face of Iranian unwillingness to comply with their
precondition for negotiations.
According to the report diplomats should:
- Delay any hasty moves towards sanctions and consider Iran's
counter-proposal seriously;
- Ditch preconditions and take up Iran's offer of 'serious talks',
starting with a genuine attempt to define the interests of all
the key players involved;
- Develop the proposals offered by the P5+1 on 6 June into concrete
offers in return for Iran accepting tighter inspections and abandoning
reprocessing (as offered by the Iranians in 2005), in effect progressing
the negotiations even if the precondition is not met; and
- Publish an agreed UN Security Council document on the security
risks involved with the different technologies being developed
by Iran, in order to prioritize proposals and demands accordingly,
and search for common solutions.
"There is no immediate crisis, Iran is years away from a nuclear
weapon. The Security Council must engage seriously and without preconditions.
Tough preconditions, strong sanctions and condemnation may play
well with domestic audiences, but they won't get the job done,"
said Dr Ian Davis, Executive Director of BASIC.
The report also urges Europe to apply pressure to the United States,
Israel and Iran to enter into mutual security guarantees, as part
of a regional security system. It also invites the UN Security Council
members to consider their own deployment of nuclear weapons and
engage more seriously in furthering the multilateral disarmament
commitments they made at the 2000 NPT Review Conference.
Link to the full report on the BASIC website: http://www.basicint.org/pubs/Notes/BN060901.htm.
For further information, a copy of the report or
interviews please contact:
Dr Ian Davis (Director) 0207 324 4685; mobile: 07887 782 389
Paul Ingram (Co-author) 0207 324 4686; mobile 07908 708175
|
