U.S. DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE AMBASSADOR ALEJANDRO WOLFF ON IRAN AT THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL STAKEOUT
U.S. MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
September 26, 2008
Ambassador Wolff: Good afternoon, I'll be very brief, you have another briefing to go to after the Quartet, but I think you heard from others we circulated a very short, succinct draft resolution reaffirming our previous decisions and calling on Iran to abide by its previous obligations under previous Security Council resolutions and IAEA Board of Governs decisions. I'm happy to take your questions.
Reporter: Ambassador how did you move from Russia not wanting to have a ministerial meeting and signaling they did not want to move ahead to getting this agreement, getting this resolution on the table? What turned it around and was it the U.S. desire to sort of to the show the (inaudible) wasn't fractured?
Ambassador Wolff: Well again, unity of purpose on behalf of the Council was a very important signal to send out particularly coming at this time after another IAEA report by the Director General on non-compliance by Iran. We had a good opportunity this week with high-level officials, Secretary Rice, Minister Lavrov and others in town. There were a number of meetings and good cooperation to get us to this point, so we've got a text that should find maximum, we hope unanimous support from the Council.
Reporter: (inaudible) is that the only way the Russians came on board?
Ambassador Wolff: Well we have sanctions in place on the other (inaudible). This is again a good show of unity, we're committed to the dual track approach. We've got on the one hand pressure, on the other hand offers of incentives and negotiations. We believe that's the best way to proceed and this resolution is consistent with that.
Reporter: Where do the tracks go from here? Either one or both? What's the next step on negotiations?
Ambassador Wolff: There will be further discussions among political directors on this. This is again something that we can't judge by a snapshot. It's a process. Further discussion I'm sure will be taking place in the weeks ahead.
Reporter: Does this mean that you've shelved the idea of sanctions and we shouldn't expect any other resolutions for months and months, or do you think we might see further steps?
Ambassador Wolff: Well again, this resolution is pretty clear and speaks for itself at this time.
Reporter: It does seem a little weak though, to come out and say that you know that we enforce our previous resolutions and please will you do that?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, I think at a time again when the IAEA has reported non compliance on Iran, and Iran thinks it's getting support from a number of quarters and that some countries are supporting its position, a show of unity on behalf of the Council is both effective, timely and we think constructive.
Reporter: Why did you feel that you need a show of unity right now?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, it's been six months since the previous resolution, 1803, was adopted. Iit's been three months since we were supposed to review compliance, and it's been now less than two weeks since the IAEA issued its last report. So Council silence, we think, would send the wrong signal and a good example and a good show of Council unity would send the right signal.
Reporter: So is it fair to say that this whole resolution is just about showing unity?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, showing unity, reaffirming that our decisions on previous resolutions remain valid, remain binding. We remain vigilant about them when we expect compliance with them.
Reporter: How much longer will it be if Iran keeps not complying; how much longer do you wait for another resolution?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, that's also a function of the dynamics of the Council itself, the situation on the ground, we remain hopeful that Iran will comply; we remain hopeful that Iran will seize on the incentives package that has been offered; we remain hopeful that Iran will sit down and negotiate as has been offered. But at the same time, we expect—as does the international community and this is why this resolution again is important—that Iran will also comply with its obligations to suspend enrichment and reprocessing.
Reporter: Why can't you believe the Iranians when they say that we have no evil thinking, we are doing something to advance the country?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, because we believe the Director General of the IAEA, we believe others who have followed this issue closely, and Iran does not have a very good track record of credibility on this issue. Don't forget that the reason why we're here is some 18 years of misleading and dissembling about what its programs and activities actually were.
Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, do you think the resolution would have been better if there had been new sanctions in it?
Ambassador Wolff: Well, the resolution we think is important again to underscore unity at this point it's the right thing to do at this time. Thank you very much.