Lavrov: Int'l negotiators working on new incentives for Iran

Russia's foreign minister says there is no need for new sanctions in response to Iran expanding its nuclear program.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Russia's foreign minister said Tuesday that international negotiators are preparing a new package of incentives aimed at persuading Iran to freeze uranium enrichment, adding there is no need for new sanctions in response to Iran expanding its nuclear program. Sergey Lavrov said on Ekho Moskvy radio that the proposals drafted by diplomats from the US, Russia, China, Britain and France, along with Germany, would offer Iran new economic, energy and security incentives to encourage it to halt uranium enrichment. "We must focus on drafting new positive proposals now," Lavrov said. He also reaffirmed Moscow's strong warning opposing the use of force against Iran, saying that it would exacerbate the crisis in the Middle East and make a peace settlement impossible. The UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran last month for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment. Teheran has rejected the demand, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that his country has begun installing 6,000 new centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called the latest move by Iran "dangerous" and said UN sanctions against Iran should be reinforced if the country continues its defiance. But Lavrov said Tuesday that Iran was given 90 days to mull over its response to the latest UN sanctions resolution. He said there was no need to think about new sanctions.