Rice fails to gain Russia support on Iran

[NNN0LHI]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-15T094336Z_01_WRI442899_RTRUKOC_0_UK-NUCLEAR-IRAN-RICE.xml&archived=False

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice courted Russian support on Saturday for the U.S. hard line over Iran's nuclear programme, but there was no public sign Moscow was shifting to back Washington's policy.

Rice was later to press President Vladimir Putin to commit to backing U.S.-led efforts to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council if it continues to reject talks with European powers and keeps up sensitive nuclear-related activities, diplomats said.

The top U.S. diplomat's visit was announced late on Thursday and squeezed into a planned trip to France and Britain in a gesture that plays to Russia's sense of pride and reflects an increasing U.S. awareness it needs Moscow's help on Iran.

"We and Russia have found common cause in our attempts to help the Europeans and other countries to get the Iranians to first of all remove the many questions ... about their programmes," Rice told reporters after talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

[Benhurst]

1. I guess Shoesoleezza can't live up to her hyped-up reputation. NT

[lapfog_1]

2. And she is such an EXPERT on Russia and Russian politcs...

and she can't figure out what to say to win them over? So much for
our new SOS.