AFP: Japan on Thursday urged Iran to abide by a non-binding UN Security Council statement that called on Tehran to completely halt its nuclear drive.
TOKYO, March 30, 2006 (AFP) – Japan on Thursday urged Iran to abide by a non-binding UN Security Council statement that called on Tehran to completely halt its nuclear drive.
Japan welcomed the unanimous UN statement as “a clear, consensus message by the international community to Iran and a significant step in efforts to solve the issue diplomatically.”
“Japan strongly urges Iran to take seriously the resolution issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the presidential (UN) statement and to act on them sincerely,” a foreign ministry statement said.
The statement passed Wednesday gives Iran 30 days to abandon its uranium enrichment activities but failed to mention steps if Tehran fails to comply.
The text was watered down to meet concerns by Russia and China, which have veto power on the Security Council.
Japan, which has a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, has walked a tightrope on the Iranian crisis.
Asia’s largest economy is nearly entirely dependent on foreign oil and in 2004 defied the United States, its main ally, by signing a multi-billion dollar deal to develop Iran’s Azadegan, one of the world’s biggest untapped oil reserves.
