Putin warns against "cornering Iran" over nuclear crisis

Xinhua
Feb. 11, 2007

Flashback: Cold War Talk Prompts Russian Call for 'World Government'Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the international community should address the concerns of Iran as it seeks a solution to Tehran's nuclear crisis.

"We should not corner Iran into a hostile environment," Putin said at a high-profile security conference held in the southern German city of Munich.

There is no evidence, after all, that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, he said.

The Russian president said the international community should "be more patient and work together" to solve the crisis.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani has arrived on Saturday to attend the three-day conference, where the Iranians nuclear crisis is one of the most burning issues to be discussed.

Earlier reports said Larijani had decided at the last minute that he is not coming due to an illness.

Larijani had said that he expected some negotiations with the West on the sidelines of the Munich meeting, which also attracted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and EU chief diplomat Javier Solana.

Some 250 top officials from over 40 countries participated in the 43th Munich security conference which will run from Feb. 9 to 11.

The meeting, titled "global crisis, global responsibilities", will also highlight NATO's role, the Middle East peace process, transatlantic relations, the West's relations with Russia and the fight against international terrorism, according to the organizers.