Minty+on+Iran,+plus+Basque+ETA+cease-fire,+Business+Day

Business Day, Johannesburg, 23 March 2006
=SA’s Minty warns against isolating Iran=


 * Wyndham Hartley, Parliamentary Editor**

CAPE TOWN — SA’s representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Abdul Minty, yesterday warned of the dire consequences for the world if Iran was driven out of the Non Proliferation Treaty to become a maverick nuclear state.

Minty’s briefing to Parlia-ment’s foreign affairs committee came amid talk of possible air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and, worse still, a possible invasion of a second Middle East nation by the US and its allies.

At the centre of the conflict is that the US and some European countries are seeking to halt Iranian moves to create an enrichment capacity.

In the extensive diplomatic attempts by members of the IAEA board of governors, SA has tried to achieve consensus among the 35 members of the IAEA. Its negotiations have been aimed at retaining the integrity of IAEA and avoiding having a second nation after North Korea developing nuclear technology outside the Non Proliferation Treaty.

SA has twice abstained from voting on resolutions that seek to have Iran’s nuclear programme referred to the United Nations Security Council — in September and last month, saying that more time was needed for dialogue.

Minty said the situation in the Middle East was not conducive to peace. He referred to the invasion of Iraq by the US and its allies, the row over cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad and warned that “any action against Iran will hold enormous dangers”.

He told the parliamentary committee that any action against Iran, the second-largest producer of oil in the world, could affect world oil supplies, which in turn would affect prices and the world economy. Iran insists on its right to develop a peaceful nuclear power programme, while the US and its allies want to halt its development of the capacity to enrich uranium. Minty said media reports that the IAEA had decided to refer Iran to the security council were incorrect.

He said, however, that if diplomatic action failed to keep the matter away from the security council it would likely lead to Iran leaving the Non Proliferation Treaty, thus removing any mechanisms to inspect its nuclear development.


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A174041**



Business Day, Johannesburg, 23 March 2006
=Basque separatists ETA declare cease-fire=

MADRID — Basque separatist group ETA yesterday declared a permanent cease-fire after almost four decades of bombings and shootings in its campaign for independence from Spain.

The group said it hoped the truce, due to start tomorrow, would move forward its desire for Basques to be recognised as a people. It said it wanted “Basque citizens to have their say and power to decide on their future”.

A cease-fire could open the way to talks with the Socialist government, which is far more inclined to cede more power to Spain’s regions than the previous conservative government.

ETA’s historical demands are for an independent Basque state carved out of northern Spain and southwestern France. The group has killed 850 people and threatened and extorted thousands of Basque businesses over the years.

Basque newspaper Gara quoted ETA as saying France and Spain “must recognise the results of this democratic process, with no type of limitation”.

ETA is classed as a terrorist group by the US and European Union and previously declared a cease-fire in the late 1990s, only to rescind it two years later.

Some politicians were wary of how seriously to take the latest ETA truce. Artur Mas, leader of the Catalan nationalist party CiU, said: “Experience has shown we should be cautious with ETA communiqués.

“Terrorist violence has affected us all.… When we see it in black and white, we will all be able to give our opinions.”

Since 2003 ETA has set off only small bombs, which have caused damage to buildings but have not led to any deaths. Reuters

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 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=BD4A174086