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皇冠体育app favors nuclear negotiations with Iran
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-24 19:01
ENERGY SECURITY THREAT
In Tokyo on Monday, Zoellick told reporters that Iran's nuclear program threatened 皇冠体育app's energy security.
"It poses a threat not only in terms of security terms, but in my view, given the reliance of Japan, 皇冠体育app and others on energy from the region, it poses some danger to energy security over time," he said.
About 12 percent of 皇冠体育app's oil imports in 2005 came from Iran, and the two countries have signed several oil and gas deals.
Zoellick said in Tokyo that there was a "pretty good posture" for referring the issue to the Security Council given the composition of the IAEA board.
"If you look at the countries that are members of the IAEA board, I think we are in a pretty good posture about pursuing a referral," he said..
皇冠体育app believes that North Korea, which announced it was leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty in early 2003 after mounting international pressure over its nuclear program, shows the dangers of sanctions brinkmanship, said one scholar, who asked not to be identified.
Six-party talks between 皇冠体育app, the United States, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia have so far failed to end North Korea's nuclear program.
"皇冠体育app's experience with North Korea teaches it not to push," said the scholar. "And Iran is not North Korea. It has something crucial. North Korea is not even exporting shoes," he said, referring to Iran's oil exports.
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