Tension With Russia About Georgia War Spreads at UN, Envoys Say

By Bill Varner

Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Tension with the West over the war in Georgia has sharpened Russian opposition to pressuring Iran and Myanmar at the United Nations, U.S. and British envoys said.

``In the aftermath of Georgia there is an impact on Russian statements on other issues, which we regret,'' U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said. ``We hope and expect that in regard to the nuclear issue in Iran, a threat to international peace and security on which the Security Council has expressed itself, without opposition from Russia, we can continue to cooperate.''



Khalilzad pointed to Russian Deputy Ambassador Konstantin Dolgov's statement that his government won't curtail financial transactions with Iranian banks. Dolgov told the UN Security Council that a March resolution calling for vigilance in financial relations was only a ``political signal'' to the government in Tehran and that nations have the ``right to determine themselves how they will be vigilant.''

Any spillover from the five-day war in Georgia, fought over pro-Russian breakaway regions, would make it more difficult to reach agreement on further UN sanctions to constrain Iran's nuclear development work. Foreign ministers of the U.S., U.K., China, France, Germany and Russia are scheduled to discuss possible next steps on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly during the week of Sept. 22.

Myanmar is under UN scrutiny because of its military rulers' crackdown on the pro-democracy opposition in the Southeast Asian nation.

Iran Sanctions

The debate at the UN followed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Glaser's address to a Security Council committee meeting yesterday in which he urged stronger implementation of financial sanctions on Iran. Glaser's remarks accompanied U.S. imposition of sanctions on an Iranian shipping company and 18 of its affiliates that it accused of hauling material covertly for Iran's military.

Iran's government denies that it is seeking to build a nuclear weapon or gain the knowledge of how to do so. Its program is an effort to develop a nuclear power industry, Iranian officials say.

Dolgov denied any linkage of Georgia to either Iran or Myanmar, saying his government was ``not mixing up issues'' and only wanted to prevent ``de facto expansion of the scope'' of UN sanctions on Iran.

On Myanmar, Russia joined other Security Council member governments in blocking a French proposal for a statement that would have ``deplored'' the regime's refusal to engage in dialogue with opposition parties or release political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Georgia, Myanmar

Dolgov questioned whether the U.S. and its European allies were as concerned about the violence in Georgia as they are about repression in Myanmar, according to Khalilzad and U.K. Ambassador John Sawers. There should be no ``double standard,'' Dolgov said.

``Dolgov seemed to make a linkage between the situation in Myanmar and our approach to Georgia,'' Sawers said. ``It is very unfortunate that Russia is going to start linking unconnected dossiers with Georgia.''

Khalilzad said Dolgov ``implied we are concerned about bloodshed in one area and not in another.''

Sawers and Khalilzad both said UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari made no progress with Myanmar's military government during his visit to the country last month. Khalilzad urged stronger Security Council pressure on the regime.

Khalilzad and Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin have had several harsh public exchanges over Georgia in the Security Council, adding to concerns about a new ``Cold War'' between the powers.

``This harsh rhetoric is not always desirable in resolving differences of opinion,'' UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at a news conference.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Varner at the United Nations at wvarner@bloomberg.net