U.S., Europe Gather Support for Iran Move

[deadparrot]

VIENNA, Austria - U.S. and European diplomats campaigned behind the scenes Thursday in a last-minute effort to gain the broadest possible consensus for reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council within days over concerns it is seeking nuclear weapons.

The negotiations came as the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board of governors began a two-day meeting on a European draft resolution calling for Tehran to be referred to the Security Council, which can impose sanctions.

Iran remained defiant and its chief nuclear negotiator threatened to suspend all voluntary cooperation with the IAEA if his country is referred to the Security Council.

Diplomats at the meeting said adoption of the resolution within the next few days was certain, but Washington and the European Union, the key backers of referral wanted to build as much support as possible.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/nuclear_agency_iran

[marmar]

1. I'm feeling a little de ja blue...

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Teaser]

2. They're not going to authorize any action

certainly not military and definitely not economic. Europe depends too much on Iranian oil.

[cliss]

3. Color me -

surprised. I'm amazed at Europe's willingness to go for it. It's surpising considering

a) The Iranians threatened to pull out their deposits out of European banks last week. About $50 billion dollars worth. Did they do it? A few banks might fold over that. Aren't they worried?

b) Europe is suffering under a tremendous cold spell. It's been snowing in Italy, and hundreds of people have frozen to death across Europe. Yet they're willing to bite the hands that warms them?

Well, maybe Bush is behind this. They will back down before Bush does, though.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Neither reason is really that big

No, I doubt any banks would fold - Iran would have it spread over several countries and banks (to decrease their own risk), and I doubt any bank would fold if just one customer wanted its mnoney out. In any case, the latest story I can find on this is a denial:

For the second time in two days, Iran yesterday said it was not withdrawing its foreign currency reserves from European banks, despite reports late last week that it already had begun the process.

"We have not moved or transferred our hard currency assets. The report on the move is not correct," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters in Tehran yesterday.

The Central Bank also issued a statement, declaring there was no wholesale withdrawal of funds from Europe.

"Iran's foreign currency reserves will be kept in all banks we trust in the world, including European and non-European banks," it said.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=133328&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=28309

Oil isn't used that much for heating in Europe - natural gas has largely taken its place. Oil is still needed for transportation, of course, but it's an international market, and Europe is no more affected than elsewhere by the world oil price.

What may be driving European policy is that European cities would be within range of an Iranian missile long before American ones will be. That would still take years, but they may think that trying to stop it now is easier than later.

[Tempest]

4. They may get to report Iran to the U.N.

But there's not a chance in hell they'll get a resolution, especially if it contains sanctions.

[confludemocrat]

5. Great team: One (U.S.) can't do shit and the other won't do shit

The world has learned this from Bush: make like you're doing something when you are really doing nothing and headed nowhere.
Anyway, the Iranian President has been right about one thing: Bush is a war criminal, as he said yesterday.

[AX10]

6. It will be a DISASTER if they move IMMEDIATLY to military action.

.

[marmar]

8. I doubt that too many European countries, outside of the U.K....

would go along with the U.S. on a war. That crazy woman Merkel in Germany might want to, but I don't think her weak government would be able to pull it off.