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Great Britain Not Major Player in Iran’s Nuclear Issue, Experts

Politics Materials 23 July 2008 18:07 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, 23 July/ Trend , corr G. Ahmadova, E. Tariverdiyeva, T. Jafarov/ The obvious support of London for the position of Israel toward Iran will not play a decisive role in Iran's nuclear problem as the major partner of Israel on this issue is Washington.

"The British Prime Minister's visit to Israel will not result in strong measures against Iran, because Britain is not a major player on Iran," said Paul Rogers, the British expert on Iran.

"Great Britain will do its best to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapon, the British Premier Gordon Brown said in the Israeli parliament. During his speech before the MPS of Knesset, Brown sharply criticized the calls of Iranian President Mahoud Ahmadinejad to raze Israel to the ground.

According to expert, the negotiations between British and Israeli leaders can not be considered as a "crucial" meeting of allied powers against Iran though it will make corrections to Great Britain's position toward Iran. "UK will take possibly slightly more pro-Israeli position, but not greatly different from now after the visit of Gordon," Rogers, Professor on international security at Oxford research group said to Trend by e-mail from London.

According to the British political expert of Iranian origin Alireza Nourizadeh, the issue regarding Iran is not one of those that Great Britain can discuss tete-a-tete with Israel. "If Israel is willing to attack on Iran, this move is first of all should be coordinated with US, and second, with Great Britain and European countries who will agree with the US allies. "Now I do not see any reason for this agreement," Nourizadeh, head of the Iran-Arab Studies Center said to Trend by telephone from London.

According to expert, Great Britain believes that the sanctions against Iran should be toughened which will compel Iran to give up uranium enrichment program.

"The Israeli policy and planed strike against Iran is an issue discussed with the White House," Menachem Klein, the Israeli expert said. "However I assume that Mr. Brown was informed on some Israeli steps and asked to help Israel and the White House in confronting Iran's nuclear project through international and economic pressures," Klein, the professor of Bar-Ilan University of Israel said to Trend by e-mail.

According to the expert, it seems that Mr. Browns' visit did not have an impact on Israeli public opinion or on the Israeli government. "Both are busy with Olmert scandals, the political crisis and the option to have soon a new cabinet or PM; and Obama visit," he added.

Concerning the issue on Iran, which is becoming one of the instruments of pressure on Israel, the US expert Francis Boyle believes that Great Britain must not be indifferent to the 1948 Genocide Convention, to which Britain is a party.

"Brown has praised Israel while it is in the process of inflicting slow-motion genocide upon the 1.5 Million Palestinians living in Gaza in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention to which Britain is a party," said Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois and Harvard University.

According to expert, Instead of observing the convention, Brown threatens Iran over a non-existent nuclear weapons program as certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency. "That is exactly what Tony Blair did against Iraq when the IAEA said Iraq did not have nuclear weapons. The world does not call Britain Perfidious Albion for nothing," Boyle said.

The Israeli expert Klein said that Iran is committed to 'double standards', which many believe it ensures protection of Palestine. "Iran never reacted to any Israeli attack on Palestinians. Palestine is not a state - so this is a declarative 'protection'," Klein said.

The official three-day trip of the British Premier to the Near East ended on 22 July. Brown became first British premier to make a speech before the member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament).

The correspondent can be contacted at - [email protected]

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