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EU condemns Iran president for Holocaust denial |
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Saturday, 17 December 2005 |
 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders on
Saturday condemned Iran's president for denying the Holocaust, and
warned Tehran the chance of a diplomatic solution on its disputed
nuclear programme would not last forever.
The 25 EU heads of state and government said of President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad's statement that the Nazi mass extermination of Jews was a
myth: "These comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in
civilised political debate."
They also voiced grave concern at Iran's failure to remove suspicions
about its nuclear intentions, saying in a statement: "The window of
opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."
Ahmadinejad, a former Revolutionary Guardsman who was elected president
in June, in October called Israel a "tumour" which must be "wiped off
the map," provoking a diplomatic storm and stoking fears about Iran's
nuclear ambitions.
Last week he first aired his doubts about the veracity of the
Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany. His
comments drew rebuke the world over.
The tough language on Iran was part of a wider statement on the Middle
East issued early on Saturday after a marathon summit which ended in an
agreement on the EU's long-term budget.
The leaders said Iran's resumption of the conversion of uranium ore, a
precursor to making enriched fuel that can be used for power stations
or weapons, only added to profound EU concerns about Iran's intentions.
The EU would keep its diplomatic options under review and calibrate its
approach "given provocative political moves by Iran since May," they
said. |
