Amid a push by the West toward imposing new sanctions on Iran, Brazil and Germany express conflicting stances on the slapping of US-proposed embargoes on the country over its nuclear enrichment program.
Press TV, 10 March 2010
Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle clashed on the issue of fresh sanctions against Iran during their talks in Brasilia on Wednesday.
Amorim stressed that Tehran must be given further opportunities to prove its willingness to cooperate with the United Nations (UN).
"We want clarity and transparency for the international community over Iran's nuclear program, but what we primarily see is Iran's willingness to negotiate," he told reporters when asked about potential UN sanctions against Iran.
"There is no reason not to negotiate with Iran. It is necessary to show gestures of flexibility. We want a peaceful solution to the dispute without a great cost to the people of Iran," AFP quoted the Brazilian top diplomat as saying.
Westerwelle, for his part, called for further sanctions against Iran, claiming that efforts to engage in talks with the Tehran government have failed to yield any results.
"We live on different continents and the distance to Iran between Brazil and Europe is great," Westerwelle said, adding that European powers were "deeply worried" by Iran's nuclear program.
"We remain ready to negotiate. But since we have had the impression that our outstretched hand has nothing to grasp... we will have to talk about other measures," the German foreign minister added.
Brazil has repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program.
Earlier on Tuesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned that imposing new sanctions on Iran is such a dangerous move that could even lead to a war.
