Sochi, June 09: Russia is working closely with other states to ease concern over Iran’s nuclear programme but views sanctions like those expected to be approved by the UN on Wednesday as ineffective, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.
“Sanctions are basically ineffective,” Putin said in an interview two days ahead of the vote by the UN Security Council likely to slap a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran.
Speaking late Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort town of Sochi, Putin asserted that past experience had demonstrated that imposing sanctions was no substitute for resolving core problems with the behaviour of individual states.
“International practice knows perfectly well how these sanctions work. And what? Do you know of a single case where they were effective?”
Russia, which is building Iran’s first nuclear power station, says its geographical proximity to Iran give it more reason than most to monitor Tehran’s nuclear activities closely.
Moscow has called repeatedly on the Iranian leadership to cooperate fully with the UN nuclear watchdog, but has also resisted use of sanctions as a tool for encouraging Iran to cooperate more fully in resolving questions about its nuclear programme.
President Dmitry Medvedev however signalled last year however that Russia was having a change of heart on sanctions.
The United States has steadfastly argued in favour of fresh sanctions on Iran however and Putin confirmed that Moscow was also interested in working closely with other states within the United Nations.
“We are ready, together with the entire international community, to seek a resolution to Iranian nuclear problems and we will move down this path together,” Putin said.
Speaking Tuesday in Istanbul, Putin however said the new sanctions “should not be excessive and should not put the Iranian people in a complicated position which would put up barriers on the path to peaceful nuclear energy.”
He pointed to North Korea as another example of where international sanctions failed to compel Pyongyang to abandon its secret nuclear weapons programme.
“At some point in the application of sanctions the North Korean leadership announced that it had acquired nuclear weapons. And so what was the purpose of all these sanctions?”
Israeli flotilla raid must not be repeated
Israel’s deadly raid on an aid flotilla for Gaza was a tragedy that demands detailed investigation and must not be repeated, said Putin.
“What is especially tragic is that this act was carried out in neutral waters,” the Russian prime minister said.
“This is something entirely new and of course requires careful review. Everything needs to be done to make sure that nothing of the kind happens again,” Putin warned.
Asked if Russia wanted Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza, he stated: “We have always called for the lifting of the blockade.
“I don’t think such methods are effective in resolving the problems faced in the region.”
“Using such means will not solve the problems the region faces. I am not saying now which means will solve them, but only which ones are wrong.
“I want to stress that we have always proceeded from the position that all the people living in this region have a right to secure self-development, including Israel.
“But … how these goals should be achieved — this is of course a question that requires separate review, separate discussion following the recent tragic events” over the flotilla, he said.
Putin’s comments came a day before the United States voiced its support for international participation in Israel’s probe of the deadly raid.
In Istanbul on Tuesday, Putin denounced the Israeli raid as a “crude violation” of international law and said Russia intended to raise the issue of who should carry out the probe of the convoy raid at the United Nations.
The Israeli raid, which left nine dead, sparked furious responses from many in the international community.
Eight of those killed in the raid were Turkish citizens and the ninth held both US and Turkish citizenship.
Russia’s relationship with Israel improved steadily between 2000 and 2008 during Putin’s two terms as Russian president. The Kremlin has at the same time sought to rebuild long-standing and close relationships with Arab countries.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has been received by top Russian officials in Moscow on several occasions in recent years.
–Agencies