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发帖数: 29846 | 1 VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has severed
Canadian ties with Iran over its sponsorship of terrorism and amid fears
about the safety of diplomats in the country.
Baird says the Canadian embassy in Tehran will close immediately and Iranian
diplomats in Canada have been given five days to leave.
The skeleton staff that was operating Canada's Tehran mission has already
fled the country.
Baird says he's worried about the safety of diplomats in Tehran following
recent attacks on the British embassy there.
"The Iranian regime has shown blatant disregard for the Vienna Convention
and its guarantee of protection for diplomatic personnel," he said.
"Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic
presence in Iran. Our diplomats serve Canada as civilians and their safety
is our No. 1 priority."
He also condemned the regime as a sponsor of terrorism.
"Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to
global peace and security in the world today," he said.
He recited a litany of complaints about Iran, including its support for the
Assad regime in Syria, its nuclear program, its threats to Israel and its
abysmal human rights record.
"The Iranian regime is providing increasing military assistance to the Assad
regime," Baird said.
"It refuses to comply with United Nations resolutions pertaining to its
nuclear program. It routinely threatens the existence of the state of Israel
, and engages in racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement to genocide."
Foreign Affairs is also warning ordinary Canadians to avoid any travel to
Iran.
People seeking Canadian consular services in Iran are being directed to the
embassy in Turkey.
Canada's relations with Iran have been iffy since the 1979 Islamic
Revolution. After Canadians spirited American diplomats out of Tehran in
1980 during the post-revolution hostage crisis, the Canadian embassy was
closed for eight years.
The two countries slowly moved back to normal diplomatic relations with an
exchange of ambassadors in 1996.
But the relationship chilled in 2003 after Zahra Kazemi, a freelance
photographer with dual Canadian-Iranian citizenship, was killed while in
custody in Iran in what Canada described as a state-sanctioned murder.
Canada recalled its ambassador.
Baird announced the severing of ties with Iran on Saturday in the early
morning hours, Russia time, after meeting the foreign ministers of the 21-
nation Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum ahead of the leaders' summit
set for this weekend.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Vladivostok late Friday for what is
expected to be a trade-focused summit. But security issues appear set to
dominate the discussion.
Baird also registered Canada's displeasure over Russia's continued support
for the regime in Syria in a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey
Lavrov.
"I've already had a meeting with my Russian counterpart and I did so in no
uncertain terms," said Baird.
Russia has blocked UN Security Council resolutions that would have
sanctioned the Assad regime, which has been trying to put down an 18-month
uprising.
Baird confirmed that Canadian diplomat Mokhtar Lamani will head the Damascus
office of Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy to Syria.
Lamani is a Canadian of Moroccan origin who has already served as a special
Arab League envoy to Iraq.
Brahimi took over as envoy to Syria this month, succeeding Kofi Annan who
resigned in frustration over failed efforts to end the Syrian civil war. |
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