Thu, Aug 12, 2004
Mideast – AFP

World worried about Iran nuclear aims: Rumsfeld

BAKU (AFP) – Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain a major worry for the world
amid fears that states possessing weapons of mass destruction might
cooperate with terrorist organizations, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
said.

Speaking to reporters after talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
Rumsfeld noted that Iran had been on a list of countries that the United
States describes as terrorist states for many years.

“One of the gravest concerns the world faces is the nexus between a
terrorist state that has weapons of mass destruction and terrorist
networks,” he said.

“So it’s understandable that nations, not just in this region but throughout
the world, are so deeply concerned about what’s taking place in Iran.”

Rumsfeld said he had discussed his concern over Iran’s nuclear program with
Aliyev, who recently hosted a visit by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
(news – web sites).

The Iranian leader told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday that his country
had made “a lot of progress” in developing nuclear technology for peaceful
purposes and “will not seek permission from anyone” to continue its program.

Rumsfeld’s comments came at the end of a brief visit here during which he
thanked the Azeris for providing troops to US-led coalitions in Iraq (news –
web sites) and Afghanistan (news – web sites).

Rumsfeld noted that the United Nations (news – web sites) was looking for
countries to provide additional troops to protect a UN effort to organize
elections in Iraq.

But Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, who joined Rumsfeld at the
news conference, offered no indication that Azerbaijan was prepared to
contribute more than the 150 soldiers it has already deployed in Iraq.

“Azeri peacekeepers are already in Iraq and have a mandate to fulfill and
will continue to carry out their tasks,” Abiyev said.

The Azeri minister called on the United States to support Azerbaijan in its
long-running dispute with neighboring Armenia over the enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory located within Azerbaijan but inhabited mainly
by ethnic Armenians.

Rumsfeld responded that that issue was being handled by the so-called Minsk
Group and said Washington hopes for a peaceful resolution of the issue. He
added however that the United States supports Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity.

Azerbaijan was Rumsfeld’s third stop on a trip that began in Oman. He was
scheduled to arrive in Ukraine later Thursday.