UNITED NATIONS, May 11 -- With the UN Security Council's discussion of Iran sanctions stalled by this week's trip to the Congo and this month's NPT meetings at the UN, on May 11 U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller told the Press there is "no link" between the NEW START treaty with Russia and that country's expected vote for at least some Iran sanctions.
Inner City Press asked Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller if she acknowledged a link between Iran sanctions and both the Senate's consideration of START and the proposed U.S.-Russia Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation, called the ‘123’ Agreement.
Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller said that the 123 Agreement is "getting attention in Washington again" and called this a "good step." Of course, she said, the Senate in its advice and consent will look more broadly at the U.S. - Russia relationship. Video here, from Minute 5:37.
She didn't mean, she said, "no link" but rather "no direct link." She said the START agreement should have an "important" and apparently positive influence, as an implementation of the "reset button" pushed by Hillary Clinton and Sergey Lavrov.
Afterwards, Inner City Press asked Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller if she had seen the film "Countdown to Zero." It's on my schedule for next week, she said. Click here for Inner City Press' review.
Prognosticators on Iran sanctions predict at least two negative votes on the Security Council: Brazil and Turkey. One P-5 member favors waiting to let Brazil and Turkey try to work with Iran, figuring they too will then come to favor sanctions. But the U.S. does not want to wait. We'll see.
Footnote: while the visiting Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller spoke free and easy at the North Lawn building stakeout, getting answers from the US Mission to the UN has become increasingly difficult. On the morning of May 11 as Ambassador Susan Rice entered the Security Council, Inner City Press began to ask for a question about the statement issued in her name the previous day about Sri Lanka.
She indicated she was busy. Later a genial Mission staffer came to asked what the question was, and said he would go in and get an answer. But leaving the Council he said he'd have to check with the "Sri Lanka people." Hours later in the North Lawn building he again promised an answer. But still as of close of business and deadline, none was provided. Should Assistant Secretary Gottemoeller have been asked?
