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Last update - 20:44 19/03/2008
Foreign Ministry summons Swiss envoy to J'lem over Iran deal
By Assaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: iran, europe, gas 

Swiss Ambassador to Israel Walter Heffner on Wednesday was called for a meeting in the offices of the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem in response to a deal signed between Switzerland and Iran on Monday for the supply of Iranian natural gas to Europe.

General secretary of the Western Europe department of the Foreign Ministry Rafi Barak on Wednesday criticized the visit of Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey to Teheran, calling it an "unfriendly gesture" to Israel.

Israeli officials stated that in the current situation, wherein the UN Security Council has passed sanctions against Iran and the international community has mounted concerted efforts to force the Islamic Republic to shelve their nuclear program, it is inappropriate for countries to pursue large scale economic contracts with Iran.
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Barak told Heffner that Iran is "continuing its nuclear program, aiding extremist and terrorist organizations, violating human rights, and denying the right to exist of a United Nations member country [Israel], all the while disseminating anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel."

Experts said the deal, which sparked harsh criticism from the United States and is worth an estimated 20 billion euros, may signal a renewed willingness by European companies to do business with Iran in the wake of a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate that essentially eliminated the possibility of an American military strike on Iran.

Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, wearing a traditional Islamic headscarf, attended the signing ceremony in Tehran. She said the deal was needed to diversify Switzerland's energy sources and lower its dependence on Russian gas.

Under the agreement - signed by National Iranian Gas Company and the Swiss firm EGL, which is indirectly owned by Switzerland's cantons - Iran will supply Switzerland with 5.5 billion tons of gas a year for 25 years, starting in 2011. The gas is slated to be sent via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, which has not yet been built.

An EGL spokesman told Haaretz that the agreement "does not contravene the [United Nations] sanctions [against Tehran], since we aren't investing in Iran." He also noted that other European gas firms are considering buying from Iran as well - an apparent reference to Austria's OMV, which signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran last year to purchase gas worth 20 billion euros. That deal must still be finalized.

France and Britain have taken a harder line, recommending that their national gas companies not sign any new deals with Iran.

Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, who heads the Brussels-based Transatlantic Institute, said the Swiss deal was "a direct result of the American National Intelligence Estimate."

"The report's publication changed the trend in Europe," he said. "For the past year, most European companies have been in waiting mode. They checked details, examined possibilities, but refrained from finalizing commitments. But following the report, the business perception changed and the pressure on Iran was lifted. If a respected country such as Switzerland, which cares about its international status, is ready to travel to Tehran to sign an agreement, what will other countries think? What will other international corporations think?"

The American embassy in Bern published a statement on Monday denouncing the deal, saying it sent "precisely the wrong message at a time when Iran continues to defy UN Security Council resolutions." Even if the deal does not violate the letter of UN sanctions, the statement added, it "violates the spirit of the sanctions."

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities also expressed disappointment with the deal, as did Israeli officials.

A Swiss journalist who covered the deal, who requested anonymity, told Haaretz that the U.S. had tried repeatedly to stop it, but "Switzerland feels that it is backed by the European Union, and by the real needs of its residents."

Barak Ravid contributed to this report.

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      1.   Switzerland was always no friend of the Jews or the west. 06:34  |  Dish It Out 19/03/08
      2.   Swiss Are Amoral (& in that sense immoral) 06:41  |  Brad 19/03/08
      3.   How Much Did US Offer to Supply? 07:10  |  Mark of Lewiston 19/03/08
      4.   Brad - Canada Counter Offered What? 07:14  |  Mark of Lewiston 19/03/08
      5.   Well said, #1 07:26  |  US CITIZEN 19/03/08
      6.   Kudos for Switzerland for rejecting international arm twisting 07:27  |  Natallie Durson 19/03/08
      7.   Good job Micheline Calmy-Rey! 07:58  |  sania 19/03/08
      8.   Canadians are amoral ( & in that sense immoral) 08:03  |  Peter 19/03/08
      9.   The price of Neutrality 08:56  |  Proud Israeli 19/03/08
      10.   I THOUGHT THEY WERE NEUTRAL!!! 09:07  |  Ben Uziel 19/03/08
      11.   intelligence estimate 09:20  |  Peter 19/03/08
      12.   BRAVO, SWITZERLAND 09:35  |  indrajaya 19/03/08
      13.   #4 NO kudos to Nazillie Dur d`oreille 09:37  |  Hastaroth 19/03/08
      14.   So much for sanctions 09:48  |  Clickfool 19/03/08
      15.   Kol ha kavod, felicitations dear Switzerland 09:58  |  Chanalau, Tova 19/03/08
      16.   Switzerland puts the interests 10:08  |  Paul Wood 19/03/08
      17.   We all need a strong Iran 11:02  |  MiddleStanian 19/03/08
      18.   Switzerland to US - Our Business is None of Your Business 11:03  |  Johan Odin 19/03/08
      19.   SO WHAT, BABY? 11:14  |  indrajaya 19/03/08
      20.   Sorry Etzis, but what do you have to offer? 11:27  |  Andreas 19/03/08
      21.   # 1, DISH IT OUT 11:27  |  indrajaya 19/03/08
      22.   The swiss 11:52  |  raden 19/03/08
      23.   Bravo Switzerland 12:29  |  Mouseclick 19/03/08
      24.   smart swiss 12:34  |  laddy 19/03/08
      25.   The Swiss are wrong 12:38  |  Samuel Hyman 19/03/08
      26.   Bravo Switzerland!The U.S. can go to hell! 12:52  |  lakshmi 19/03/08
      27.   "spread" the rumor. UBS is BUST ! Steer UBS collapse ! 13:08  |  boycot Switzerland 19/03/08
      28.   swiss are free, sovereign..not subject to Jewish domination 13:32  |  Swiss 19/03/08
      29.   Pipeline isn`t built 13:40  |  Lynn 19/03/08
      30.   #25 Samual Hyman 13:42  |  Paul Wood 19/03/08
      31.   yes, it`s a hot rumor. they will fall 13:43  |  UBS rumor 19/03/08
      32.   Maybe Americans can dump their SUV`s 13:44  |  Mark B. 19/03/08
      33.   Why reward Iran now? 13:48  |  Swiss 19/03/08
      34.   # 29, LYNN 13:52  |  indrajaya 19/03/08
      35.   # 32 Mark B...SUV sales have dropped 14:06  |  Lynn 19/03/08
      36.   # 34 INDY....US had zero to do with Russia 14:11  |  Lynn 19/03/08
      37.   Lynn 14:20  |  Mark B. 19/03/08
      38.   THE SWISS HATE MUSLIMS,BUT LOVE MONEY MORE 14:27  |  JEFF 19/03/08
      39.   SWITZERLAND ever the amoral opportunists,synonym for dirty money 14:37  |  PETER SM 19/03/08
      40.   # 38, JEFF 14:37  |  indrajaya 19/03/08
      41.   Lynn, I do not want to be obnoxious, but 14:39  |  Mark B. 19/03/08
      42.   Yes, we are friendly with the Fiddlers..! 14:49  |  Stephen. 19/03/08
      43.   I am swiss 17:13  |  Ruedi 19/03/08
      44.   to Jeff, comment 38 18:10  |  Ruedi 19/03/08
      45.   Dish it out: No friends of the Jews OR THE WEST? 19:53  |  Euro 19/03/08
      46.   The usual foamimg ... 20:07  |  Axel 19/03/08
      47.   #43, Ruedi, Schaem Dich! 20:08  |  Chaschper 19/03/08
      48.   Well said, Ruedi 20:24  |  Harold 19/03/08
      49.   Chaschper 20:39  |  Gil 19/03/08
      50.   Nuke Switzerland! 21:05  |  W 19/03/08
      51.   Materialistic, narrow-minded hypocrites. 21:26  |  Fortuna Benmayor 19/03/08
      52.   Israel, GROW UP!! 21:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 19/03/08
      53.   THERE WILL NOT BE AN IRAN BY 21:51  |  mike 19/03/08
      54.   #46 Axel 21:59  |  roland 19/03/08
      55.   Ruedi 22:05  |  Oleg 19/03/08
      56.   Ruedi - about Jews and money 22:09  |  Oleg 19/03/08
      57.   Iran nuclear weapon is nightmare for Arabs nations 22:15  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 19/03/08
      58.   Iran nuclear weapon is nightmare for Arabs nations 22:15  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 19/03/08
      59.   # 49 Gil. 22:17  |  Stephen. 19/03/08
      60.   # 47 chaschper 22:29  |  Axel 19/03/08
      61.   ruedi 22:32  |  charles 19/03/08
      62.   Switzerland doesn`t want to be dependent on Russia for gas 22:52  |  Mirqa 19/03/08
      63.   Caschper - comment 43 23:17  |  Ruedi 19/03/08
      64.   Oleg - comment 55 23:22  |  Ruedi 19/03/08
      65.   Iran will send the Swiss radioactive gas 23:24  |  HonestAbe 19/03/08
      66.   # 61 charles 23:28  |  Axel 19/03/08
      67.   Doesnt Mark Rich live there? 23:30  |  jc 19/03/08
      68.   I know only too well, why I stayed away from this thread..... 23:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/03/08
      69.   the World should Stop cuz the ziocons say so 23:32  |  jc 19/03/08
      70.   Charles - comment nr 61 23:34  |  Ruedi 19/03/08
      71.   Yaackov Sullivan Says Two Wrongs Make a Right 23:56  |