NEW YORK - The United Nations Security Council will renew its deliberations on Monday regarding a press statement condemning remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the effect that "the countdown to Israel's destruction had begun."

The drafted statement was shelved until Monday after Indonesia and Qatar, two of the council's 15 nations, were not ready to endorse it.

Indonesia said behind closed doors that it opposed condemning the statement because Israel had also published statements by its leaders and senior officials, including threats to bomb Iran and threats against Palestinians. Indonesia said that the Security Council ignores Israel's threats.

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France, which, behind closed doors, is strongly advocating issuing a condemnation of Iran, said it would continue in its efforts to ensure the statement's release. The French ambassador to the UN, Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, told the Indonesian ambassador during the deliberations that when the president of one UN member country calls for the destruction of another member country, that was a very serious matter.

Russia and China also support issuing a statement of condemnation.

The draft statement said the Security Council "strongly condemns" Ahmadinejad's remarks and that it reaffirmed "the rights and obligations of the state of Israel as a full and long-standing member of the United Nations, and reaffirm that, under the UN Charter, all members have undertaken to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."

'Wipe Israel off map'
The UN has condemned Ahmadinejad in the past for his remarks to "wipe out" Israel from the map of the world. His renewed call for the destruction of Israel was made last Sunday.

The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, who supports issuing the statement, said, "We cannot be indifferent to threats against another state."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reacted Thursday by saying that he was "shocked and dismayed" by the latest remark.