The Iran Crisis and Counter Terrorism Will Make or Break the St. Petersburg G8 Summit

By Victor Comras

It looks like the Iran nuclear enrichment crisis, and counter-terrorism, will now definitely make their way onto the formal agenda for the July 15 – 17 St. Petersburg G8 Summit. Both topics were absent from the formal agenda originally proposed by President Putin. He had hoped to concentrate on Energy Security, Fighting Infectious Diseases, and Education. But, what better forum than the G8 Summit to hammer out a common understanding and an agreed policy to carry on the fight against terrorism and to put some weight behind nuclear nonproliferation. Alas, the last few G8 summits have not lived up to expectations re these topics. The results were high on intention, but less on real accomplishments.

Russian Presidential Envoy Anatoly Safonov announced April 20 that the summit will, in fact, discuss the struggle against terrorism, “notably the protection of energy facilities from the terrorist threat.” He also expects the Summit leaders to adopt a charter on cooperation with the business community in the struggle against terrorism. Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev also indicated April 21 that Russia would present a new draft on enhancing transportation security. But what about following up on the previous counter-terrorism initiatives undertaken by the G-8? The G8 leaders should seriously assess, and provide new impetus to, these initiatives, several of which have fallen short of their original goals. The Counter Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) was one of the important counter-terrorism initiatives that came out the 2003 Evian G8 Summit. It was suppose to engage the G8 countries directly in “building political will, co-ordinating capacity building assistance where necessary.” CTAG was, inter alia, also “to implement G8 demarches to countries that are not parties to all international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols to urge them to become parties and accelerate domestic implementation of required measures.” At the 2002 Kananaskis Summit and again at Sea Island, in 2004, the G8 leaders pledged to work together” to promote greater security of land, sea, and air transport, including cargo, to ensure safe, secure, efficient and reliable transportation world-wide.” While several key elements of the so-called SAFTI action plan have been implemented, several critical items lag. There are still serious problems involving the issuance of machine readable bio-data passports, and with regard to sharing passenger list information. Implementation of the very important Container Security Initiative also has slowed considerably.

Iran is also shaping up as a major issue for the St. Petersburg Summit. The US has made it clear that intends to push Russia hard on the Iran issue. US Under Secretary of State Nick Burns reportedly used last weeks G8 Political Directors Meeting to again stress the need for the G8 to take strong coordinated action to dissuade Iran from pursuing its enrichment program. The Italians have also indicated they want the G8 to focus on the Iranian Nuclear problem. At Evian, the G8 declared “ We will not ignore the proliferation implications of Iran's advanced nuclear program. We stress the importance of Iran's full compliance with its obligations under the NPT.” At Sea Island the G8 leaders proclaimed that they “remain united in our determination to see the proliferation implications of Iran's advanced nuclear program resolved. Iran must be in full compliance with its NPT obligations and safeguards agreement....We deplore Iran's delays, deficiencies in cooperation, and inadequate disclosures, as detailed in IAEA Director General reports.” And again at Gleneagles in 2005 the Summit leaders reiterated their determination to “resolve the proliferation implications of Iran's advanced nuclear programme”. It is essential, they said, that Iran “cooperate fully with IAEA requests for information and access, to comply fully with all IAEA Board requirements, and to resolve all outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme.” So far, Iran has not complied with any of these G8 demands.

This will be the first time that Russia will hold the chair, and host, the G8 summit. President Putin will be the voice of the Summit. Putin has portrayed himself as a hard liner and full partner in fighting international terrorism. Lets hope that he also lines up with his G8 colleagues to take steps now to ensure that Iran does not, and can not, develop or acquire nuclear weapons.

TrackBack