Russia urges positive Iran stance on atomic crisis

Kuwait, May 23: Russia called on Tehran today to accept any initiatives on the Iranian nuclear crisis offered by major powers whose representatives will meet in London tomorrow.

''We hope that tomorrow's meeting between the (European Union) trio, Russia, the United States and China will lead to a unity of positions towards finding a negotiated solution,'' Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Kuwait.

''What is important ... is that Iran takes a positive stance and we hope Tehran accepts the negotiated initiatives and that it accepts total cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.'' The West fears Iran's uranium enrichment programme could be used to make atomic bombs. Tehran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, says it is developing nuclear technology only for power stations.

Senior officials from the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are due to discuss in London what action to take next on Iran, including a package of incentives aimed at getting it to freeze its enrichment programme.

Iran has already ruled out halting its sensitive nuclear work even in return for incentives.

The United States says it wants a diplomatic solution to the standoff but has also refused to rule out military action.

Lavrov, in Kuwait on a regional tour, reiterated Russia's objections to use of force.

''In principle we do not see that the use of force by the international community will resolve this crisis,'' he said.

Washington and its European allies are seeking a UN Security Council resolution that would oblige Iran to halt all uranium enrichment or face possible sanctions. Russia and China, who hold veto power in the Council, have so far resisted calls for any tough UN action.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television that Iran had to choose between complying with international demands or facing isolation.

''The choice is Iran's,'' she said in an interview aired today.

''The world has said that there is a perfectly good course of cooperation, a civilian nuclear programme within the international system or there is the choice of continuing with a programme that the international community does not support and facing isolation. We hope Iran takes the course of cooperation.''

Reuters