WASHINGTON:
The United States said Thursday that it told Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that an upcoming summit in Iran sent a “strange signal” after Tehran reported that the UN chief would attend.
Iranian state media has said that the UN chief will visit Tehran for an August 30-31 summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, a group of 120 countries set up during the Cold War to reject alliances with both Washington and Moscow.
US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland stopped short of urging Ban not to attend but said the United States considers Iran “an inappropriate place for this meeting.”
“The fact that the meeting is happening in a country that’s in violation of so many of its international obligations and posing a threat to neighbours... sends a very strange signal with regard to support for the international order,” Nuland told reporters.
“We’ve made that point to participating countries. We’ve also made that point to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon,” she said.
The United Nations has not confirmed Ban’s travel plans. If Ban goes ahead with the trip, the United States hopes he will “use the visit to make the point about our broad concern as an international community,” Nuland said.
Nuland was referring to UN Security Council resolutions that have imposed sanctions on Iran for not halting sensitive uranium enrichment work. The clerical regime says that the enrichment is for civilian energy, but Israel and some Western officials believe that Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb.
NAM is being attended by several global leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the President Asif Ali Zardari.
Iran, which is at loggerheads with the US and other western countries, is building the meet as a major diplomatic achievement.
US President Barack Obama took office in 2009 offering dialogue with Iran to resolve the nuclear row and other tensions. But after initial frustrations and calls by Israel for tougher action, Obama has emphasized pressure on Iran and championed punishing sanctions.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Thank God that Ban Ki Moon will attend the non-aligned meeting in Tehran rather than listening to his Masters; who are advising against his meeting with Iranians and other third world leaders. But still we have to watch and see whether he (Ban K Moon) has guts to discuss the matters with Iranian leader and others with open mind and take their suggestions to resolve the issues or will pass the threats and war mongering messages of his Masters? So far for the last 6 years or more, Ban Ki Moon has done nothing of his own but rather remained silent or repeated his Masters voice during all the wars and other matters of this world.
US , the master of Universe!!!! why can't they let Mr. Moon decide by himself if he wants to attend Iran meeting or not???? Seems they are not satisfied with the blood of Iraq and Afghanistan. They are now getting desperate for blood of Iran. When will they stop to blatantly and shamelessly dictate the world institutions!!!! And how can Iran be an inappropriate place for a NAM meeting??? Its NAM meeting and not the meeting of G8. They should mind their own business and not try to interfere in each and every international institution.