Outside View: Iran's nuclear fuel stalled

NUKEWARS

Iran's involvement in Iraq may not have increased: report
Some US intelligence and administration officials believe that while Iranian arms shipments to Iraq continued in recent months, they have not necessarily increased, The New York Times reported Saturday. Citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper said Tehran has shifted tactics to distance itself from a direct role in Iraq since the US military captured 20 Iranian operatives in December 2006 and January 2007. Since then, Iran seems to have focused instead on training Iraqi Shiite fighters inside Iran, the report said. At the same time, Tehran has sought to retain political and economic influence over a variety of Shiite factions in Iraq, the paper said. "They don't want to be identified with activities that might be seen by the international community as illegitimate," The Times quoted a senior US official as saying. Iran has also sought to spread its influence inside Iraq through legitimate economic assistance, in particular across the oil-rich Shiite south, the paper pointed out. At the same time, the Iranians supply weapons to militias fighting the Shiite-led government in Baghdad as well as to militias supporting that government, the report said.

by Tatyana Sinitsyna
Moscow (UPI) pril 25, 2008
Azerbaijani customs officials have been keeping a single Russian trailer -- which they describe as a truck convoy -- carrying absolutely safe heat-insulating equipment for Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant at the Astara checkpoint on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border since March 29.

Russia sees no reason for this.

"We have an agreement on the transit of the cargo across Azerbaijan. It was registered in line with international customs requirements formulated in the TIR Convention," said Irina Yesipova, a spokesperson for Atomstroyexport.

Atomstroyexport, the company building the Bushehr nuclear power plant, is Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly.

Azerbaijan is acting in violation of international requirements, even though it is generally agreed that international laws take precedence over local legislation. A country that considers itself part of the international community should respect its laws.

Azerbaijani authorities insist that a representative of Atomstroyexport should arrive in Baku to discuss the problem. The Russian company sees no legitimate reason for this, arguing that all customs documents were prepared well in advance.

Baku suspects that the trailer is carrying dual-purpose materials in violation of U.N. resolutions. Atomstroyexport says it is carrying heat-insulation equipment. In this situation, wouldn't the simplest thing be for the customs officers to open the trailer, in line with international practice, and see for themselves that this is a "clean" cargo?

"It might contain radioactive materials. We must be confident that the cargo does not violate U.N. resolutions regarding Iran. We demand clarity from Moscow," said Khazar Ibragim, press secretary of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

He should know that a nuclear power plant under construction does not need radioactive materials. Even unused nuclear fuel, which has already been delivered to Bushehr, is completely harmless.

Apart from their unfriendly nature, the allegations raise another question. Why did Baku wait until the cargo had already reached Iran's border before demanding clarity? Is it because the intrigue can acquire a political aspect at this stage?

The sides can either settle their differences now, or Azerbaijan may detain the cargo indefinitely, without any explanation. In this case, Russia may have to produce another batch of heat-insulation materials for the Bushehr plant, at great expense of time and money.

Atomstroyexport will also have to find an easier and more civilized transit route. This is not its first problem with Azerbaijan.

Three years ago Russian trailers carrying equipment for the Iranian nuclear power plant were stopped on the Azerbaijani border. That time Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilkham Aliyev, quickly settled the problem.

Does Baku want the two presidents to meet again to discuss the problem of one trailer? Isn't that just a little over the top?

(Tatyana Sinitsyna is a commentator for RIA Novosti. This article was republished with permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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NUKEWARS

British minister says Clinton's 'obliterate' Iran tone imprudent

London (AFP) April 23, 2008
A British foreign minister said Wednesday that US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's threat to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons was imprudent.

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