According to Reuters: Russia is unlikely to support a draft resolution that refers Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear programme unless it is softened, a European diplomat said on Saturday.
So what’s the problem here – other than that Russia hasn’t changed its self-destructive political stripes (except superficially) since the tsars? The answer comes a couple of graphs later:
… the EU3 diplomat said the Russians objected to language in the draft that suggests Iran is a threat to world peace and paves the way for a so-called Chapter Seven resolution at the Security Council.
“In order to get the Russians on board we need to get a new draft of the resolution,” the diplomat said.
Chapter Seven resolutions are binding under international law and enforceable with sanctions and in some circumstances military action. Non Chapter Seven resolutions are widely viewed as rhetorical.
Ah, that’s just what we need – a few rhetorical flourishes slapping the wrists of the mullahs. Not to worry. Putin may be a second-rate KGB hack, but he’s no Ivan the Terrible.
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