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New Round Of US-Iran Talks Crucial For Russia

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  • New Round Of US-Iran Talks Crucial For Russia

    NEW ROUND OF US-IRAN TALKS CRUCIAL FOR RUSSIA
    Andrei Areshev

    en.fondsk.ru
    26.02.2009

    Iran's Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar visited Moscow on 15-17
    February to start implementation of Tehran`s new foreign policy. Also
    in February German ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder arrived in Iran to
    discuss not only economic and energy issues but a general strategy of
    cooperation between Berlin, Brussels and Tehran. A delegation from
    Iran, headed by a vice president, visited Kabul occupied by NATO
    forces. Iranian Foreign Minister came to Baku to discuss cooperation
    between Tehran and Yerevan on a whole range of political and economic
    issues. Apart from this, Kazakhstan opened its consulate in northern
    Iran...

    This foreign policy course aimed to break US-led startegic occupation
    of Iran and Tehran`s intentions to stand up for its interests in the
    region have brought some progress already. Russia welcomes Iran`s
    participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), says
    Russian Deputy Foriegn Minister Alexei Borodavkin. The West keeps
    close eye on Tehran`s ties with foriegn countries and makes some
    notable remarks. The Obama administration has softened its anti-Iranian
    rhetoric, while NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has even
    promised Iran a right to play its role in stabilization in Afghanistan.

    Of course, this all can be nothing but an attempt to get Tehran
    involved in Afghan campaign in accordan ce with the Western scenario
    of permanent 'low intensity conflicts' between Iran and all its
    neighbors. However, Tehran will hardly accept the rules invented by
    the U.S...

    On 3 February, addressing religious minorities of Iran, President
    Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeatedly announced that there was no such
    country in the world which could prevent Iran from implementation
    of its tasks. He also unveiled his country`s plans to launch some
    ambitious military programs, including the construction of an unmanned
    aircraft. In view of this, Mostafa Najar`s visit to Moscow took on
    a special meaning. Judging from his speech after the negotiations,
    we may conclude that the minister discussed not only issues of
    military-technical cooperation but also the details of energy
    partnership (including Iran`s particiaption in a 'gas OPEC' and
    construction of an atomic power plant in Bushehr). While in Moscow,
    Mr. Najar said vast oil and gas resources Russia and Iran can boast
    give the two countries brilliant chances for cooperation. It sounds
    fair since Russia and Iran are taking the lead on the global gas
    market. "Thus our cooperation in gas industry may satisfy demands of
    both producers and consumers worldwide", Mr. Najar believes. "That
    is why we consider a 'gas OPEC' an issue worth attention today,
    and we have already achieved some progress here", he added.

    Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Djashnsaz reported that the National
    Iranian Oil Company an d one of the world's leading energy companies,
    German E.ON, had intensified talks on joint production of liquefied
    natural gas and development of new gas fields. He also told journalists
    that on 19 February E.ON officials visited the 2d and the 3d units
    of a gas plant in the South Pars natural gas field and unveiled some
    details of future cooperation. First of all, E.ON aims to invest in
    the Iran LNG liquefied gas project and in some other Iranian gas
    fields. The South Pars natural gas field is one of the milestones
    of Russia-Iran energy cooperation, and a sign of a long-term energy
    alliance between Moscow and Tehran and with active participation of the
    EU. Turkey and Armenia may be join the project as transit countries.

    Naturally, this leaves Washington very few chances to lobby its energy
    projects in the region aimed at using Azerbaijan and Georgia as the
    so-called 'Caucasus communication corridor'.

    At first sight, US attempts to please Tehran seemed
    unexpected. Washington implies it could revise its missile plans in
    Eastern Europe if Moscow demonstrated a more 'constructive' stance on
    Iran's nuclear program. During his recent visit to Moscow, U.S. Under
    Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns said that
    if US cooperation with Russia and other partners diminished or even
    removed Iran`s nuclear threat, Washington would be ready to revise
    its missile plans.

    Moscow reacted promptly by saying it appreciated po sitive signals
    coming from US and expected a new round of productive bilateral
    anti-missile defense cooperation. After that we see eye-catching
    headlines in the Internet: "Russia-US missile talks depend on Iran",
    "A deeper dialog between Russia and US on missile issue may begin
    as soon as there is enough evidence of peaceful character of the
    Iranian nuclear program"... But do the journalists really believe that
    relations between Moscow and the "peace keeper" Obama could improve
    if the Americans with their 1 trillion Security Budget had no fears
    about Iran`s missiles (their radius of destruction being not more
    than 2,000 kilometers)?

    What was the aim of such methods? Do they really believe that Obama,
    unlike his predecessor, is ready for an open and constructive dialog
    or just invented those headlines to conceal their true expectations
    concerning Tehran?

    Why the world turns a blind eye on the idea of a non-nuclear Middle
    East?

    Why it is being ignored amid the current political situation in
    Israel, where radical factions are very likely to ascend to power
    (Israel`s influential Yediot Aharonot newspaper already called Iran
    a major threat to the Jewish state in 2009), amid growing instability
    in Afghanistan and Pakistan and during the implementation of US secret
    program to sabotage Iranian nuclear program?

    Is it possible that the statements made by US officials are aimed
    at cheating Mo scow and Tehran (and some other countries)? Are they
    trying to make Russia believe that Washington may revise its missile
    plans in Poland and Czech Republic?

    Likelihood is rather big. In view of this, Russia should analyze
    the importance of the current situation not only for its bilateral
    cooperation with US but also for its own future. Of course, we must
    do it if we see Russia as a sovereign country and not a puppet state.
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