Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Iran Military Action Not 'Right Course at This Time', Downing Street Says - World News - Guardian - Co

    Uploaded by

    hsvdhabkjsdbahsjbd
    13 views2 pages
    The UK government has reiterated that it does not believe military action against Iran would be appropriate at this time, following the disclosure that Britain has rebuffed US requests to use UK military bases to support forces in the Gulf. Downing Street said military action is not the right course of action currently, and the UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated a pre-emptive strike on Iran without a clear threat. The US has approached the UK about using bases in Cyprus and British territories for contingency planning, but the UK has pushed back due to legal advice stating pre-emptive action would violate international law. Both countries prefer a diplomatic solution and new negotiations are expected to begin in late November.

    Original Description:

    Original Title

    Iran Military Action Not 'Right Course at This Time', Downing Street Says _ World News _ Guardian.co

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    The UK government has reiterated that it does not believe military action against Iran would be appropriate at this time, following the disclosure that Britain has rebuffed US requests to use UK military bases to support forces in the Gulf. Downing Street said military action is not the right course of action currently, and the UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated a pre-emptive strike on Iran without a clear threat. The US has approached the UK about using bases in Cyprus and British territories for contingency planning, but the UK has pushed back due to legal advice stating pre-emptive action would violate international law. Both countries prefer a diplomatic solution and new negotiations are expected to begin in late November.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    13 views2 pages

    Iran Military Action Not 'Right Course at This Time', Downing Street Says - World News - Guardian - Co

    Uploaded by

    hsvdhabkjsdbahsjbd
    The UK government has reiterated that it does not believe military action against Iran would be appropriate at this time, following the disclosure that Britain has rebuffed US requests to use UK military bases to support forces in the Gulf. Downing Street said military action is not the right course of action currently, and the UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated a pre-emptive strike on Iran without a clear threat. The US has approached the UK about using bases in Cyprus and British territories for contingency planning, but the UK has pushed back due to legal advice stating pre-emptive action would violate international law. Both countries prefer a diplomatic solution and new negotiations are expected to begin in late November.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    10/27/12

    Iran military action not 'right course at this time', Downing Street says | World news | guardian.co.uk
    Printingsponsoredby:

    Iranmilitaryactionnot'rightcourseat thistime',DowningStreetsays
    Governmentreiteratesitscurrentoppositiontomilitaryaction againstIranafterrevelationUShasrequesteduseofUKbases
    PatrickWintourandNickHopkins guardian.co.uk,Friday26October201212.59BST

    USbombersflewAfghanistanmissionsfromBritain'sDiegoGarciabaseintheIndianOceanafter9/11,buttheUK isreluctanttograntsimilarpermissionforthecurrentmilitarybuildupintheGulf.Photograph:EPA

    TheUKgovernmenthasreiteratedthatitdoesnotbelievemilitaryactionagainstIran wouldbeappropriateatthemoment,followingthedisclosurethatBritainhasrebuffed USrequeststouseUKmilitarybasestosupportthebuildupofforcesintheGulf. DowningStreetsaid:"WeareworkingcloselywiththeUSwithregardtoUKbases" but"thegovernmentdoesnotthinkmilitaryactionistherightcourseatthispointof time". DavidCameronmadealengthyspeechlastweekurgingIsraeltoshowrestraint,and pointingtothewayinwhichsanctionsarehavinganimpactontheIranianeconomy. TheGuardianhasbeentoldthatUSdiplomatshavealsolobbiedfortheuseofBritish basesinCyprus,andforpermissiontoflyfromUSbasesonAscensionIslandinthe AtlanticandDiegoGarciaintheIndianOcean,bothofwhichareBritishterritories. TheUSapproachesarepartofcontingencyplanningoverthenuclearstandoffwith Tehran,butBritishministershavesofarreactedcoolly.OnFriday,DowningStreet saidsuchcontingencyplanningwassomethingthatwasdoneasamatterofroutine. TheyhavepointedUSofficialstolegaladvicedraftedbytheattorneygeneral'soffice andwhichhasbeencirculatedtoDowningStreet,theForeignOfficeandtheMinistry ofDefence. Itstatesthatprovidingassistancetoforcesthatcouldbeinvolvedinapreemptive strikewouldbeaclearbreachofinternationallawonthebasisthatIran,whichhas consistentlydeniedithasplanstodevelopanuclearweapon,doesnotcurrently represent"aclearandpresentthreat". "TheUKwouldbeinbreachofinternationallawifitfacilitatedwhatamountedtoa preemptivestrikeonIran,"saidaseniorWhitehallsource."Itisexplicit.The governmenthasbeenusingthistopushbackagainsttheAmericans."
    www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/26/iranmilitaryactiondowningstreet/print 1/2

    10/27/12

    Iran military action not 'right course at this time', Downing Street says | World news | guardian.co.uk

    SourcessaidtheUShadyettomakeaformalrequest,andthattheydidnotbelievean accelerationtowardsconflictwasimminentormorelikely.Thediscussionssofarhad beentoscopeouttheBritishposition,theysaid. "ButIthinktheUShasbeensurprisedthatministershavebeenreluctanttoprovide assurancesaboutthiskindofupfrontassistance,"saidonesource."They'dexpect resistancefromseniorLiberalDemocrats,butit'sToriesaswell.Thathascomeasa bitofasurprise." ThesituationreflectsthelackofappetitewithinWhitehallfortheUKtobedrawninto anyconflict,thoughtheRoyalNavyhasalargepresenceintheGulfincasetheongoing diplomaticeffortsfail. TheGuardianhasbeentoldthataBritishmilitarydelegationwithastrongnavy contingentflewtoUSCentralCommandheadquartersinTampa,Florida,thissummer torunthrougharangeofcontingencyplanswithUSplanners. TheUK,however,hasassumedthatitwouldonlybecomeinvolvedonceaconflicthad alreadybegun,andhasbeenreluctanttocommitovertsupporttoWashingtoninthe builduptoanymilitaryaction. "ItisquitelikelythatiftheIsraelisdecidedtoattackIran,ortheAmericansfeltthey hadtodoitfortheIsraelisorinsupportofthem,theUKwouldnotbetold beforehand,"saidthesource."Insomerespects,theUKgovernmentwouldpreferit thatway." BritishandUSdiplomatsinsistedthatthetwocountriesregardedadiplomatic solutionasthepriority,butthisdependsontheWhiteHousebeingabletorestrain Israel,whichisnervousthatIran'sundergrounduraniumenrichmentplantwillsoon makeitsnuclearprogrammeimmunetoanyoutsideattemptstostopit. IsraelhasalessdevelopedstrikecapabilityanditswindowforactionagainstIranwill closemuchmorequicklythanthatoftheUS,explainedanotherofficial."Thekeyto holdingbackIsraelisIsraeliconfidencethattheUSwilldealwithIranwhenthe momentisright." WithdiplomaticeffortsstalledbytheUSpresidentialelectioncampaign,anewpushto resolvethecrisiswillbegininlateNovemberorDecember. Sixglobalpowerswillspearheadadrivethatislikelytoinvolveanoffertoliftsomeof thesanctionsthathavecrippledIran'seconomyinreturnforTehranlimitingits stockpileofenricheduranium. ThecountriesinvolvedaretheUS,theUK,France,Germany,RussiaandChina.Iran willberepresentedbyitschiefnegotiator,SaeedJalili.

    2012GuardianNewsandMediaLimitedoritsaffiliatedcompanies.Allrightsreserved.

    www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/26/iranmilitaryactiondowningstreet/print

    2/2

    You might also like