US, Germany confirm Iran stance
The US president and chancellor Merkel concurred at Mr Bush's Texas ranch.
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Sunday, 11, Nov 2007 07:33
US president George Bush and visiting German chancellor Angela Merkel have vowed to pursue a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear programme.
The comments were made at Mr Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, held as part of Ms Merkel's two-day visit.
Iran argues its uranium enrichment programme is peaceful and not in contravention of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty.
But the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are sceptical and are to draft a UN resolution calling for new sanctions against Iran in the next fortnight.
The president told reporters at the ranch the US would continue to seek a diplomatic solution to press Tehran into changing course.
"What the Iranian regime must understand is that we will continue to work together to solve this problem diplomatically," he said, "which means they will continue to be isolated.
"And what the Iranian people must understand is that we respect their heritage and respect their traditions, respect their potential - but it's their government that has made the decisions that are denying them a bright future."
Ms Merkel added: "We were at one in saying that the threat posed through the nuclear program of Iran is indeed a serious one. We both share this view, but that we also were of the opinion that we think that this issue can be solved through diplomatic means; that the next step, then, obviously, would be a resolution.
"There is already work underway to prepare for this next step."
She added that German businesses with interests in Iran would be encouraged to reduce their commercial ties with Tehran.
"I believe we can solve it diplomatically," Mr Bush continued, "and it is more likely we do so when the United States, Germany, and other nations work collaboratively to send a common and firm message to the Iranians that it is - the free world does not think you should have the capacity to be able to make a nuclear weapon."
Ms Merkel's visit closely followed that of French president Nicolas Sarkozy in what political analysts are calling a charm offensive on the part of Mr Bush.