PM tells London Jews: Russia won't supply nuclear fuel to Iran - Haaretz

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Fri., October 26, 2007 Cheshvan 14, 5768

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		Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (AP)

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Last update - 13:35 24/10/2007

PM tells London Jews: Russia won't supply nuclear fuel to Iran

By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

Speaking to Jewish group in London on Tuesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert revealed that at his meeting last week in Moscow with the Russian president, he learned that "Russia has decided not to supply nuclear fuel to Iran."

Olmert's talk followed a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, after their meeting on Tuesday. Brown told reporters at that press conference that Iran's behavior is "unacceptable," and said that his country supports stepping up the sanctions against Tehran, both in the United Nations Security Council and also through the European Union.

Brown also called for progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and offered British assistance for development of the Palestinian economy.

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Brown began the press conference by declaring his friendship for Israel. "I have been a long-term friend of Israel," Brown said. "I have enjoyed my visits to Israel. Over many, many years my father [who was a minister in the Church of Scotland] spent many months in Israel," he added.

Olmert said that "Brown's message on the sanctions is the right type of message. Economic sanctions can be effective, they already are effective, and another step is necessary so that Iran can cease its nuclear program.

The Israeli leader refused to address the possibility that the sanctions may fail or whether that could lead to a military operation by the United States or Israel against Iran.

In his address before representatives of the Jewish community in London, Olmert also said that "if we come to terms today with the Iranian nuclear program, in the future we will need to pay an unacceptable price, one that we cannot tolerate. This is a long process that will not be resolved in the near future, but I am optimistic."

Olmert said that Israel is part of an overall international effort against Iran, which is being led by the great powers, and not, he stressed, by Israel.

"I can reveal one detail of my meeting with Russian President Putin last week," Olmert said. "Russia has decided not to supply nuclear fuel to Iran, in spite of all the declarations and the rumors. Russia understands the implications of its decision, and understands that the international community expects it not to supply that nuclear fuel."

The prime minister said that the Iranians maintain that they are close to reaching the "technological point of no return" in developing independent nuclear capability, in an effort to convince the international community that there is no point in pressuring them further.

"They are not as far [from that point] as we would have liked, but also not as close as they are trying to portray. Therefore, there is an essential need now to pressure Iran, to force them to pay the kind of price that will make them change their stance."

Olmert discussed extensively the negotiations with the Palestinians in preparation for November's planned Annapolis peace summit.

"This is not a conference," he said. "When we say conference, we think about a few days of talks and negotiations between the participants. This is not the aim of the meeting at Annapolis, that from the start was meant to create the atmosphere that would encourage direct bilateral talks. We hope that we will be able to achieve a joint declaration prior to the meeting."

The prime minister reiterated that "from the start we did not talk about a framework for a final settlement or a solution for all the issues that are still open, by later November and early December. It is hard to think that during such a short period it will be possible to solve the problems that have preoccupied us for 40 years, formulate [solutions] and rally support for them. This is not realistic and it is best not to create unrealistic expectations, so that we will not have to later deal with failure.

"When the day comes for a final settlement, we will have to make painful sacrifices," Olmert said. "The Israeli public opinion will accept them, so long as the agreement will guarantee what is essential for the State of Israel - security for every one, safeguarding the Jewish and democratic character of the state, and also help for the creation of a Palestinian state that will be a homeland for the Palestinians."

Olmert also said that he too is debating the question of whether the current Palestinian government is capable of implementing agreements it may sign with Israel.

As a result of these concerns, he said, "we have decided that the implementation will be carried out according to the stages of the road map, and these begin with fighting against terrorism."

The prime minister also defended his decision to hold negotiations with the government of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, even with the doubts about its ability to carry out its decision.

"Any further delay may bring the moderates [in the PA] down, and in three years we would have Hamas in their place," Olmert warned.

Related articles:

British PM Brown to Olmert: We're for tougher Iran sanctions

IAEA head warns against rushing to use force to curb Iran nukes

Peres: World has proof that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons

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1.	Russia and Iran.	09:24	\|	Vital	24/10/07

2.	Haven`t the UK police arrested the bugger for war crimes?	09:38	\|	Clickfool	24/10/07

3.	It won`t take 3 years Olmert! And not to worry,the relationship	10:11	\|	lakshmi	24/10/07

4.	How can this fool be so sure what stupid things Russia will do?	10:48	\|	Genuine Tosefta	24/10/07

5.	ONE Islamic bomb is obviously enough for them.	10:58	\|	PETER.SM	24/10/07

6.	A none story in the UK	11:21	\|	Chris Linthwaite	24/10/07

7.	jews vs arabs	11:23	\|	paul mayuw	24/10/07

8.	Olmert statements do not bind Putin	12:18	\|	Natallie Durson	24/10/07

9.	#7 Paul - the Unhappy Hu-Man	12:24	\|	Gabriel	24/10/07

10.	trusting others for your survival	12:40	\|	chaim	24/10/07

11.	To Tosefta: Because Putin said so. He wouldn`t lie, would he?	12:46	\|	Uri	24/10/07

12.	Olmert reveal to your tax payers your political doings.	12:56	\|	H.H.M	24/10/07

13.	Russian mobs!	13:06	\|	Roxana from IRAN	24/10/07

14.	France has just sold a reactor to Morrocco	13:40	\|	Chris Linthwaite	24/10/07

15.	Chris Linthwaite	13:40	\|	Steve	24/10/07

16.	Response to 2	14:01	\|	DAvid	24/10/07

17.	to # 16	14:22	\|	JJ	24/10/07

18.	to # 5	14:23	\|	JJ	24/10/07

19.	to # 13 Roxana	14:27	\|	JJ	24/10/07

20.	Clickfool	14:37	\|	Steve	24/10/07

21.	Brown`s out of office if he attacks Iran.	14:40	\|	Michael	24/10/07

22.	deluding the Israeli public with blatent lies	14:42	\|	chaim	24/10/07

23.	Russia and proliferation	14:50	\|	Jonathan S	24/10/07

24.	Plutonium Manufacturing does NOT need a large Russian reactor!	15:16	\|	Science Nerd	24/10/07

25.	Russia won`t supply nuclear fuel	15:24	\|	leon	24/10/07

26.	Science Nerd is right	15:30	\|	Jonathan S	24/10/07

27.	russian won`t supply fuel	15:32	\|	marcel	24/10/07

28.	Nothing But The Truth.	15:41	\|	Cool B	24/10/07

29.	Michael UK	15:52	\|	Steve	24/10/07

30.	michael uk and more jesting about britains taxpayers	16:25	\|	victor hardman	24/10/07

31.	Steve 29, Brown`s not Blair.	16:30	\|	Michael	24/10/07

32.	Ha! If you believe what Putin says then you are fool	16:32	\|	American	24/10/07

33.	You can`t trust the Ruskies	16:35	\|	ottomatik	24/10/07

34.	Russia will point to French and American Nuke deals	16:35	\|	Me	24/10/07

35.	To #13 You`re ABSOLUTELY correct.	16:57	\|	3-ha-ha	24/10/07

36.	step by step all we can do!!!!!!!	17:32	\|	EREZ	24/10/07

37.	# 8 Creativity is not something you pal`s posess, Fatmah...	17:58	\|	Misha	24/10/07

38.	vv	17:59	\|	vvv	24/10/07

39.	More bad news for Natallie Durson	18:19	\|	Fortuna Benmayor	24/10/07

40.	To Fortuna Benmayor	18:48	\|	Serenity	24/10/07

41.	Preventing nuclear war: Reply to Michael 31	21:32	\|	Briton	24/10/07

42.	#39 Fortuna	23:08	\|	tad	24/10/07

43.	olmert to students	01:01	\|	neville	25/10/07

44.	Britons Failed Connection	03:11	\|	joebhed	26/10/07

45.	Number 13 You loose!!	04:34	\|	cristo	26/10/07

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