US, Russia Clash Over Startup Of Iran Nuke Plant

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

MOSCOW — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her Russian counterpart clashed openly Thursday over the planned launch this summer of Iran's first, Russian-built nuclear power plant, highlighting a split in views over how to steer Iran away from nuclear weapons.

Clinton did not criticize the long-delayed project directly but said the Obama administration is opposed to the timing of the nuclear plant's startup. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced the summer startup plans on Thursday, shortly after Clinton arrived for a two-day visit.

The nuclear plant is an example of Russian-Iranian economic ties and technical cooperation, on terms that have long made the United States uncomfortable. It was a background issue during a difficult period in U.S.-Russian relations last year and in the ongoing U.S.-led effort to bring new United Nations economic penalties against Iran over suspicions that part of its nuclear program is aimed at building a bomb.

Putin's announcement adds another complication to the already long list of issues on which Clinton and her Russian hosts don't agree. Clinton is seeing Putin on Friday.

At a news conference with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after talks on a wide range of issues, Clinton told reporters that Iran, while entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, must reassure the world that it is not trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jiyDzWt6bcYiU4B_0XWtbXaq74awD9EH7VA80

[jody]

1. Can the U.S. introduce a resolution to the UN Security Council and use "deem and pass" to

stop Iran?

[stuart68]

4. Ever think what others think...

With a sole focus on the crappy hc bill, everyone else in the world is crappign all over us. Nice work Rahm.

[Tempest]

7. You should be criticizing the Repugs

It's not Rahm's fault the Repugs have tied up the country on the health care bill.

[yava]

2. Scretary Clinton tells Russia, China, Brazil, Turkey what to do

about Iran.
Now each of these countries has exchanges worth billions per year with Iran.
What does she offer them in exchange which they need but don't have?

[LakeSamish706]

3. Does it have anything to do with the "Rumor" of the US hitting Iran's

supposed nuclear arsenal with the stash of bunker buster bombs? Maybe the US doesn't want this in place because it would cause grief in an attack on the country.

[unkachuck]

5. is the US....

....just a paper tiger?

"...Putin announced the summer startup plans on Thursday, shortly after Clinton arrived..."

....if Israel can smack our face, why not Russia?

[BeFree]

6. Empire- spread too thin

Bush pushed the US over the edge making wars and now we are spread way too thin.
We can't use nukes, tank gawd {sic}, and our forces are tired.
The belligerence has petered out and the shock waves are just a sad memory.

The rest of the world is not looking kindly on Uncle Sam, and every time they can prick our hide, they will.