Expose Obama
May 13th, 2010Reuters
Putin issues Obama a stern warningRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the United States and other Western nations on Thursday against imposing unilateral sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, Interfax news agency reported.
The European Union has said it may impose unilateral sanctions if a U.N. Security Council resolution fails.
U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration has been lobbying Western companies not to do business with Iran, but has not imposed sanctions against them.
Countries facing Security Council sanctions "cannot under any circumstances be the subject of one-sided sanctions imposed by one or other government bypassing the Security Council", Lavrov was quoted as saying by Interfax.
"The position of the United States today does not display understanding of this absolutely clear truth."
Russia is in talks with the United States and other U.N. Security Council members on a fourth round of sanctions. Moscow has indicated it could support broader sanctions but has stressed they must not harm the Iranian people.
Washington has not publicly warned of unilateral sanctions but has made clear it wants tougher measures than veto-wielding Security Council member Russia is likely to accept.
Permanent Security Council member China has joined Russia in opposing Washington's plans to impose tough, wide-ranging sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its refusal to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment activity and open up fully to U.N. nuclear inspections.
Lavrov's warning came just before the arrival in Russia on Thursday of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, a non-permanent member of the Security Council that is also opposed to further sanctions against Iran.
Lula was expected to meet senior Russian officials on Friday to discuss how to revive a stalled nuclear fuel swap deal meant to minimize the risk of Tehran using enrichment for military purposes. Lula will travel on to Iran on Sunday.
Lavrov, speaking to deputies from Russia's upper house of parliament, said the United States tended not to see international law as having pre-eminence over national laws.
"We are now confronted with this problem during discussion of a new U.N. Security Council resolution on Iran."
Despite his criticism, Lavrov said that relations with the United States had shown clear signs of improvement, specifically with the signing of a nuclear-disarmament treaty that would reduce their deployed nuclear warheads by about 30 percent.
He said the document would soon be submitted to Russia's parliament for ratification.
(Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Note: Earlier today, Russia accused Israel of being the little troublemakers preventing peace in the Middle East. Now, Russia "warns the United States" ... really? Gee, do you think Obama may have to rethink all those little agreements he has made with Russia, since they may not be in the best interest of America? or, America's allies? Russia has been a busy bee flying to Syria and announcing that Russia wishes to aid Syria (an absolute enemy of all democracies i.e. Israel, America, etc.); they then visit Hamas (oh my, another Islamic terrorists organization) ... keep flying around, Russia ... we're getting a picture of your friends.
It is also my understanding that Congress has not signed off on the agreements between Obama and Russia, as they need time to review them. Whew! May not be too late to cancel agreements from a country that appears to be hell bent on supporting the very enemies that wish all of us living in the West, plus Israel, something less than peaceful relations.
Does anyone think that Obama's new-found friends are showing their true colors?
