Russia sticks to diplomatic-political solution on Iran.

TEHRAN, April 19 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's position on Iran and its
nuclear problem remains unchanged. "Efforts should continue to search for
political and diplomatic ways of solving this problem," Sergei Ryabkov,
the Russian deputy foreign minister, said in an exclusive interview with
Itar-Tass on Sunday.
He said that the absence of shifts in implementing the U.N. Security
Council resolutions, the fact that Iran had begun enriching uranium to the
19.75% level and the construction of a new Iranian nuclear facility in
Fordu, of which the IAEA says in its latest reports, might make
international sanctions against Iran inevitable.
Nevertheless, "we continue to consider sanctions to be one of the
least effective means," the Russian deputy foreign minister emphasized.
"We see that in recent years Iran has been developing uranium
enrichment technologies and nuclear technologies as such. It doesn't mean
that Iran is deprived of any rights. Iran was and remains a full-fledged
signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and has the right to
develop such technologies. But there's another aspect to this situation.
In connection with the development of Iran's nuclear program, it's
arousing certain international concern. This growing concern is reflected
in several resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and the IAEA Governing
Board. We are convinced that full implementation of these resolutions will
help restoring trust in the peaceful nature of the Iranian program, at
which our efforts are aimed," the Russian diplomat went on to say.
Sergei Ryabkov has given positive assessment to the recent Tehran
International Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Ryabkov
headed the Russian delegation at this forum. The Russian deputy foreign
minister said the conference had given another opportunity to Russia to
bring it home to its partners the Russian stance on issues like
non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament and peaceful use of atomic energy.
The Russian diplomat believes that a statement by Iranian Foreign
Minister Manuchehra Mottaki about Iran's plans to organize a second such
conference in April next year proves the seriousness of Iran's intentions
to continue work in this direction.
Asked to comment on the growing Iranian-American nuclear standoff,
Ryabkov replied that instead of arguing it would be more appropriate to
try to restore, through joint efforts, the international community's trust
in the Iranian nuclear program and its peaceful nature.

. PACE reporters on Russian-Georgian relations to arrive in Moscow.

MOSCOW, April 19 (Itar-Tass) - The co-reporters of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Russian-Georgian relations
will arrive in Moscow on Monday for a two-day visit. Matyas Eorsi
(Hungary) and David Wilshire (Great Britain) will meet Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, State Duma deputies and the Federation Council
members, representatives of the Investigative Committee under the Russian
Prosecutor's Office, members of the Russian Security Council and Russian
human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin.
"The purpose of this trip will be to prepare a regular report on
implementing PACE resolutions on the consequences of Georgian-Russian war
in August 2008. It's going to be discussed at the April session," Leonid
Slutsky, the first deputy head of the State Duma Committee for
International Affairs, told Itar-Tass. He said that the Russian side was
ready to provide full answers to the PACE reporters to avoid any
destructive approaches.
The PACE will discuss a report on the results of this trip at its
spring session, which is opening in Strasbourg on April 26. He believes
that the text of the resolution may again contain a demand to Moscow to
recall its recognition of the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Slutsky said that Russian deputies would make it clear to the PACE
representatives that such a demand was absolutely unacceptable for Russia.
The conflict in South Ossetia has been on the PACE agenda since
October 2008. PACE has passed many resolutions urging Moscow to recall the
recognition of the two republics.
But the Russian delegation stressed that Russia couldn't implement the
PACE decisions. That created a pretext for Georgia to demand that Russia
be stripped of its powers in Strasbourg. However, the PACE deputies didn't
support Georgia's proposal.

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