Abu Dhabi, January 11: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that sanctions have slowed Iran’s efforts to develop atomic weapons and accused the country of trying to foment new conflict in the Middle East to distract attention from its nuclear ambitions.
On the first stop of a three-nation tour of the Persian Gulf, Clinton said the Arab world in particular should act to sharpen enforcement of the sanctions and reject attempts to stoke Mideast tensions. She also said Arab states had a special role to play in helping restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks by promoting a broader Arab-Israeli settlement.
“The most recent analysis is that the sanctions have been working. They have made it much more difficult for Iran to pursue its nuclear ambitions,” she told a pan-Arab television talk show. “If Iran succeeds in developing an atomic bomb, it will plunge the Mideast into a disastrous nuclear arms race,” she said. “It is first and foremost in the interest of the region to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.”
Many Arab nations share U.S. fears that Iran is using a civilian atomic energy program to hide weapons development, something Iran denies.
As sanctions have taken effect, Clinton said it was clear Iran was actively trying to scuttle peace efforts. “Let’s be very blunt here. I think that there is very little doubt that Iran does not want to see any kind of negotiated peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” she said. “We cannot let that attention get diverted and we cannot let any outside influence cause a conflict in the Middle East that would be a disaster for everyone.”
“The responsible leadership in the region must do everything it can to prevent anyone from taking action that could launch a conflict.” As part of that effort, she said Arab nations should recommit to a Saudi-proposed comprehensive land-for-peace proposal under which the entire Arab world would normalize relations with Israel. That, she said, would help give the Israelis the security assurances they need to take the risks needed to make peace with the Palestinians. “The Arab world needs to make it clear that the Arab Peace Initiative will be implemented,” Clinton said.
Later Monday, Clinton traveled to Dubai to meet its ruler and United Arabs Emirate Vice President Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan. A meeting with the U.A.E. President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, was called off after he broke his arm Monday while exercising, officials said.
Clinton, noting that the two sides were “very, very close” to peace in 2000 when her husband Bill Clinton was U.S. president, said it was time for the Israelis, the Palestinians and regional Arab governments to seize the chance again.
With A.F.P.