Russia's Medvedev: Armed Action On Iran Unacceptable

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

MOSCOW, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A military solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions is unacceptable and there is no need at the moment for new sanctions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

But Medvedev said Russia continued to support a diplomatic drive led by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana to offer Tehran a package of incentives in return for it reining in some of its nuclear activities.

Western states are anxious that a rift between Moscow and the West over Russia's intervention in Georgia may shatter the fragile international coalition that has been applying pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.

'We should not take any unilateral steps. It is not acceptable to opt for a military scenario. It would be dangerous,' Medvedev told the Valdai Club, a panel of journalists and academics who specialise in Russia.

'The key is that negotiations be pursued... They have been quite positive,' Medvedev said. 'We should not adopt any additional sanctions now.'

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was in Moscow on Monday for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the two countries' first high-level contact since Russia angered the West last month by sending troops and tanks into Georgia.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said Western states will have to tackle Iran without Russia's help if they withdraw cooperation in other areas as punishment for the Kremlin's actions in Georgia.

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/09/12/afx5417721.html

[IsItJustMe]

1. Guess the war mongerers in this country woun't be in such a hurry now to start a war with Iran.

[Kaleko]

2. "'The key is that negotiations be pursued..." Bloody right.

[roamer65]

3. Sounds like a line is being drawn in the sand.

There will be very little resistance now if they march on thru Georgia to link up with Iran in the event of war.

[Pavulon]

4. Sounds like someone wants to be relevant again

they are just trying to keep their new real estate. QUID PRO QUO.

[Hardrada]

5. Tit for fucking tat!

[Pterodactyl]

6. His words would carry more weight if Russia had not occupied Georgian territory.

How can we trust anything those aggressors say? Their standing has really dropped in the world community lately. Now all the other nations of the world will think it's OK to make war to solve international problems.

[gaspee]

7. Like the US?

[Pterodactyl]

8. Exactly!

[Pterodactyl]

9. Frankly, I expected better from Russia.

They looked around the world, and unable to come up with original ideas of their own based on peace, economic prosperity and technology, decided to ape the worst behavior of other nations. Sad, really.