Looks like Putin is pissed at Bush!

Russia puts cracks in united front against Iran
Country unexpectedly wants to change U.S.-backed anti-nuclear resolution
Updated: 1 hour, 2 minutes ago

VIENNA, Austria - Unexpected Russian opposition to key wording of a U.S.-backed Security Council draft resolution is straining international unity on how to deal with Iran's nuclear defiance, U.N. diplomats said Saturday.

The apparent change of heart is the latest obstacle in the months-long attempt to pressure Iran's hardline Islamic government to suspend uranium enrichment, which many countries fear Tehran wants to use for a nuclear program.

Iran argues its needs enrichment to make energy and is entitled to it under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Although it initially urged restraint, Russia, as recently as July 12 in Paris, signaled it was ready to support a tougher line. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and counterparts from the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany agreed then to resume Security Council deliberations after Iran refused requests to respond to an international offer to negotiate its nuclear program.

A statement on behalf of the six said they agreed to "seek a ... Security Council resolution which would make ... suspension mandatory."

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, say particularly vexing is Moscow's refusal now to endorse language that would tell Tehran it has no choice but to freeze uranium enrichment or face sanctions.

Work on a resolution was suspended May 3 to allow the six powers to devise incentives for Iran to freeze enrichment and start talks meant to secure its agreement to a long-term moratorium on the activity, which can produce material for use in the fissile core of nuclear warheads as well as fuel for reactors.

The incentives include advanced technology and the easing of U.S. sanctions on the sale of aircraft and aircraft parts. The United States, breaking with decades of policy, has said it is willing to join in the multinational talks

Iran has not turned down their offer, but has shown no sign it is ready to give up enrichment. Tehran has said it will respond Aug. 22 to the package — a date which the six nations extending the offer have rejected as too late.

In remarks made available to The Associated Press Saturday, chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani repeated that enrichment belongs to "the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation" and warned his country would "reconsider its nuclear policies" if pressured too harshly — a possible threat to quit the NPT.

The remarks were made Thursday to Iran's Supreme National Security Council and were forwarded by Tehran to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency with a request that it be circulated among members of its 35-nation board.

One of the diplomats said Russia seems to be distancing itself from the Paris declaration and is seeking a resolution that is not legally binding.

The diplomat said other differences — including Russian objections to describing Iran as a "threat to international peace and security" were close to being solved.

Russia's reluctance could seriously undermine efforts to secure a compromise from Iran, especially as the United States, Britain and France insist that the freeze be made mandatory.

The West wants an Aug. 31 deadline for Iran to comply on the freeze demand. But if that demand is anything less then mandatory, any ultimatum loses much of its meaning because there is little else concrete left to enforce.

While the diplomats told the AP there was no indication what brought about the apparent change of heart, it could be as simple as Moscow believing that Iran will not give up its right to enrichment. Any resolution demanding this and threatening sanctions, therefore, is something the Russians fear could lead to military action which they oppose.

The wording of a draft resolution drawn up by Britain and France, and circulated last week among most of the 15-members of the council, "decides" that Tehran "shall suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities ..."

In a nod to Russia's resistance to the military option, the draft also refers to Article 41 of Chapter 7 in the U.N. Charter. This allows punishments that do not involve the use of armed force, such as economic penalties, banning air travel or breaking diplomatic relations.

I wonder if there is a connection with what happened in St. Petersburg just a few weeks ago. Read this news... and decide for yourself.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia
Updated: 8:45 p.m. ET July 15, 2006
- In a chilly summit prelude, President Bush blocked Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization on Saturday and President Vladimir Putin mockingly said Moscow doesn’t want the kind of violence-plagued democracy the United States has fostered in Iraq.

Alternately joking and poking at each other, the two also showed differences at a news conference on the explosion of violence in the Mideast.

Bush held Israel blameless for its punishing attacks in Lebanon and said it was up to the militant group Hezbollah to lay down its arms. Putin was critical of Israel’s use of force and said the violence “should stop as soon as possible.”

The two leaders met for two hours before the opening of the annual summit of eight major world powers, which was expected to focus on nuclear problems with Iran and North Korea and the escalating fighting between Israel and the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah.

There was a quick handshake but little warmth between Bush and Putin during a photo opportunity opening their talks. For the second day, Bush spent part of it mountain biking.

Muted criticism
Despite the sparring, there was none of the tension and anger that crackled in Bratislava, Slovakia, 17 months ago when Bush challenged Putin over Russia’s crackdown on dissent and retreat from democracy and the Russian president slapped back. After that jarring meeting, Bush concluded that lecturing Putin in public was unproductive. Still, Bush said he offered Putin some suggestions.

“I talked about my desire to promote institutional change in parts of the world like Iraq where there’s a free press and free religion,” Bush said at the news conference, “and I told him that a lot of people in our country would hope that Russia would do the same thing.”

Putin, in a barbed reply, said: “We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq, I will tell you quite honestly.” Bush’s face reddened as he tried to laugh off the remark. “Just wait,” Bush replied about Iraq.

Putin also said Russia would not take part “in any crusades, in any holy alliances” — a remark seemingly intended to win points with Arab allies. Bush’s national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, said he was perplexed by the comment.

‘We’re tough negotiators’
Hosting the Group of Eight summit for the first time, Putin dearly wanted to win approval for Russia’s admission to the World Trade Organization, the 149-nation group that sets the rules for world trade. The United States is the only country that has not signed off on Russia’s membership in the WTO, and Bush dashed Putin’s hopes for getting in now.

“We’re tough negotiators,” Bush said, adding that any agreement would have to be acceptable to the U.S. Congress.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said “significant progress” had been made in narrowing differences over the protection of U.S. copyrights and patents and boosting the sale of American manufactured goods. She said negotiators were unable to resolve a dispute over Russian barriers to the sale of American beef and pork. She said the hope was that the agreement could be completed “in the next couple of months.”

What do you think? Looks like there is a connection with Putin pissed at Bush?! HA HA HA