United Press International,
LONDON: Military action against Iran is neither appropriate nor conceivable, British Foreign Jack Straw insisted Tuesday.
Speaking in London as he launched a Foreign Office white paper outlining Britain's international strategy for the coming decade, Straw moved to allay fears that the current stand-off over Iran's alleged bid for nuclear weapons technology would lead to “another Iraq.”
Despite the failure of the United Nations Security Council to reach any agreement on how to deal with Iran's nuclear programs at last week's meeting, the foreign secretary maintained that there was a “growing international consensus in the face of Iran's intransigence.”
Straw acknowledged that it would be “hard-going” to secure the backing of all Security Council members for a resolution against Iran. However, he hoped it would be possible to agree “the next step” when the five permanent members — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — and Germany met in Berlin Thursday, he said.
Countries had “different interests” in Iran, he continued, alluding to Russia's $1 billion contract to build Iran's first atomic reactor at Bushehr and China's heavy reliance on Iranian oil exports for its energy supplies.
Both countries have so far rejected punitive action against the Islamic Republic, fearing that sanctions, economic or otherwise, could harm such interests.
Straw said there were also “anxieties, which we have to acknowledge, as to whether the strategy which the European Three are following with the backing of the United States is going to lead to the possibility of “another Iraq.”
“So that's why it takes time.”
But, he insisted: “As to the possibility of this being 'another Iraq,' it won't.
“I don't regard military action as appropriate or indeed conceivable.”
However, there appears to be a split within the British government over the efficacy of retaining the threat of military force.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Feb. 7 he could not rule out the possibility of taking military action against Iran over its nuclear programs.
During questioning by a committee of senior parliamentarians, Blair said that while military action was “not on the agenda,” he could “never say never.”
Senior Foreign Office officials also appear keen to preserve the military option. A government memo reported by the Times of London last week suggested that Britain was pressing for a U.N. resolution that would pave the way for sanctions or possible force against Iran should it fail to halt its nuclear program.
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