From EUPolitix.com: EU green light for Iran-Russia nuclear deal
Brussels has confirmed it will not oppose the civilian nuclear deal reached between Russia and Iran on Sunday, clearing the way for Teheran’s only atomic reactor to come on stream next year.
Although the EU executive was not informed in advance about the agreement – signed at the site of the Russian built plan at Bushehr on Sunday, the EU is satisfied with the deal that will be supervised by the UN’s nuclear watchdog – the international Atomic Energy Agency.
“While we believe very firmly that it is important for all sides to avoid Iran becoming a militarily nuclear state, we as the EU have never contested Iran’s right to develop civilian nuclear power,” an EU spokeswoman told reporters on Monday.
“Our understanding is that the recent deal between Russia and Iran is compatible with our own approach since both sides have made it clear they will fully respect international rules and regulations on non-proliferation and most importantly that Bushehr will operate under the close supervision of the IAEA – the UN’s nuclear watchdog – the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
Oh, good. Maybe Benon Sevan could supervise. I understand he’s got some free time.
MEANWHILE: The Israelis have discovered another car packed with explosives outside Jenin. assuming it to be work again of Islamic Jihad. These people are desparate to have miserable lives. Any sign of possible improvement and they go, well, ballistic. Lest you think this is off topic, a simple reminder – Islamic Jihad is supported by Iran and Syria.
For some reason, the word “clueless” is bouncing through my mind, in search of something to attach to.
Does Putin think that Chechens won’t use nukes if they’re available?
Or maybe he’s trying to make sure that they get one, and only one, which can either be discovered or go off somewhere he doesn’t care about (which is to say outside Moscow.) Then he can crush his enemys without his typical restraint.
After what he reportedly said to Bush this weekend, it’s hard to think I’m just being paranoid about this guy.
Although the EU executive was not informed in advance about the agreement – signed at the site of the Russian built plan at Bushehr on Sunday, the EU is satisfied with the deal that will be supervised by the UN’s nuclear watchdog
We can all sleep a little better knowing the UN’s nuclear lapdog might yap a little at the Mullah curs and Russian hounds before it heels, and that the touted soft power of European masters is as advertised- limp and flaccid. We certainly wouldn’t want to confront the bad guys until they are completely weaponized, a la the DPRK “treaty and inspections” proliferation success.
That next to last paragraph;
“The commission said the negotiations led by Britain, France and Germany to persuade Iran to permanently stop uraninium enrichment activities were continuing, and had no direct link with yesterday’s deal.”
What the….! Are you kidding me? I’m going to need a wheelbarrow to carry my chin around with me. It keeps hitting the floor.
Putin has lost all sense of reason in his desperation to get Russia under control. Doesn’t he have enough trouble to be climbing into bed with Iran? It’s only a matter of time before we find where France figures into this. We’ll find them playing both sides of the fence. It’s what they do.
Question: Why would a nation with large oil reserves need nuclear power stations?
The desire of the mullahs to acquire nuclear technology seems mightly suspicious. Why are they making it such a high priority?
I heard some Democrats today saying that Bush ahd been humilitated by Putin and should do something about this? {like what?}
And even some Republcians think Bush should be more forceful. But this is Russia we are dealing with and sometimes the best way to deal with them is to give them enough rope to hang themselves.
And I think that if the day comes that Iran has a bomb the world will know who to blame. And I think that if Putin continues to clamp down in Russia after he said on Russian TV that democracy is going to prevail in Russia then the Russian people might start thinking the Ukrainian people had the right idea.
But in truth, there is not a lot the US can do about this right now. I don’t blame Bush for that. If the EU and the UN were not so gutless Russia would not do something like this. But when the only people on the planet that are prepared to give them hell is the US, then we have to be prepared for this kind of reaction.
Andrei
If we give the mullahs the benefit of the doubt, that their nuclear intentions are entirely peaceful and strictly for commercial electrical generation.
If that is truly the case, why have they taken so many pains to scatter and conceal the laboratories and facilities. Some are located in close proximity to schools and civilian population centers. Some are buried in bomb proof bunkers. Don’t suppose they’re lying, do you?
Don’t suppose they’re lying, do you?
Lying? Modern nuclear power plants in an oil-rich, earthquake prone, and underdeveloped throwback theocracy make perfect sense when you know that Putin and the Mullahs are passionate about global warming. They only have earth-friendly Kyoto credits in mind.
Well, it all depends what channel you’re watching. E has whining Oscar losers, Ditto for CNN, FOX has business News, and MSNBC has the snowstorm. News is hard to get on TV. On the other hand NYT, WaPo, and LAT all lead with the Lebanon story, two have pics. 1:50 PM PST
Iran also has a very active program to develop and acquire ballistic missile technology. If the major capitals of Europe aren’t already in reach, they soon will be..see my post “Noose, Bomb, and Rocket”
http://photoncourier.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_photoncourier_archive.html#109357055263823204
One would think this would give European leaders additional reason to worry about Iranian ruclear weapons programs. Can you imagine the impact on politics and everyday life in Europe if everyone knows they are in range of nuclear-armed Iranian ballistic missiles?
Charlotte,
You nailed that one! I’m trading in my 4×4 for a hybrid first thing in the AM, snowstorm be damned.