PM disfavours coercive measures against Iran

Manmohan told Parliament that India wants a mutually acceptable solution.

Seeking mutually acceptable compromise solutions to the Iran nuclear issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said India did not favour confrontation or "coercive" measures as these would only heighten tension in the region and beyond.

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"We remain hopeful that solutions acceptable to all sides will be found," Singh said while replying to the debate on India's vote at the IAEA on Iran's nuclear programme.

Replying in both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister said there can be no two opinions that Government should not take pre-determined position or positions at the behest of other nations.

Gurudas Dasgupta, CPI, and Subrata Bose, CPI-M, as also Kharbala Swain, BJP, had contended in Lok Sabha that foreign policy should be guided by national interests and not based on the position of other countries.

"No one can dispute that it is Government's duty to take a position on such matters after a dispassionate examination of facts, keeping in mind our national interests," the Prime Minister said, stressing "Government has precisely done this."

Referring to Monday's meeting in Vienna of the IAEA Board of Governors, Singh said, "it is as yet not clear in what manner this issue will be taken up" by them.

He said the IAEA resolution adopted last month mentioned certain steps that Iran and the international nuclear watchdog would be taking.

"Government's approach will be based on our consistent policy of promoting efforts for a resolution of issues through dialogue and discussions," he said.

Noting that there have been discussions between Iran and Russia in the efforts to explore various options, Singh, who spoke to President Vladimir Putin on Saturday night, said "we do not favour confrontation, rhetoric or coercive measures as these only exacerbate tensions in the region and beyond."

He said, "India has consistently stated that all sides must work to find mutually acceptable compromise solutions, and that confrontation should be avoided at all costs."

"For this to be possible, time must be given for diplomacy to work," he said.

Singh said, "I think there is consensus in Parliament and in our country that confrontation is not in the interests of India or of our region."

Singh said whenever the matter is taken up, India would work with like-minded countries, including those from NAM, for a mutually-acceptable resolution of the issue.

On concerns voiced by members of the adverse fallout on India's relations with Tehran in the wake of New Delhi's vote against it, he said, "Government is committed to widening, deepening and expanding our diverse and mutually beneficial ties with Iran."

He said Government will continue to monitor the situation closely and deal with the Iran issue with the seriousness it merits.

"In dealing with this issue, we will pay due attention to our relationship with Iran, the need to maintain peace and stability in the Gulf region and safeguarding our own security," he said.

He assured the members that the sentiments expressed by them would also be taken into account.

Recapitulating essential facts of the issue, Singh said Iran has the legal right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy, but it also has certain obligations and responsibilities, based on the Safeguards Agreement which it voluntarily undertook with the IAEA.

He said it was in recognition of the existence of several unanswered questions that Iran agreed to start the process of assisting IAEA with investigations into several past activities.

An important part of this process was the voluntary suspension by Iran of all enrichment and reprocessing activitiy in November 2004.

However, since last August, Iran has renewed production of Uranium Hexafluoride, and since then, of uranium enrichment, he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the unresolved question regarding centrifuge imports and designs to make uranium metallic hemispheres remained. "The origin of such procurement is an issue of direct concern for us," he contended.

"Under these circumstances, our position was based on these facts, which emerged from an objective investigation by the IAEA, and through information disclosed by Iran itself."