Clinton says missile shield to protect from Iran
At press conference in Jerusalem US secretary of state reiterates America's intentions to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, says Washington shares Israel's concerns on Iranian nuclear program. Israeli FM Tzipi Livni says Clinton good friend to State, but time is tight on Iranian threat
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated the United States' intention to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons on Tuesday but declined comment on a report Washington offered Russia a deal to help achieve that.
She was asked at a news conference with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem about a New York Times report that President Barack Obama wrote to Russia's president offering to hold off deploying a US missile defense system in Europe in return for Russian help on obstructing Iran's nuclear program.
Clinton said Washington shared Israel's concerns, denied by Tehran, that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons: "We intend to do all that we can to deter and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," she said, while repeating Obama's offer to engage with Iran under certain conditions.
Livni and Clinton in Jerusalem Tuesday (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
On Russia, which opposes plans for a US missile shield in Europe, she noted that she had met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov briefly on Monday at an international meeting and would meet him again for longer on Friday:
"What we have said specifically in regard to missile defense in Europe is that it has always been intended to deter any missiles that might come from Iran," Clinton said. "It remains our position. We have explained that to the Russians before."
"There's a broad agenda to discuss with the Russians. We're going to be starting that on Friday," she said of the planned meeting with Lavrov in Geneva.
'Clinton good friend to Israel'
After their meeting Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Clinton was a good friend to Israel, and that she understands the threats in the region. The foreign minister said despite the new American administration and the new government to be formed in Israel in the near future, ties between the two nations remained based on the same values.
Livni called the US the leader of the free world, leading the struggle against extremism and extremists, and said Israel was proud to share these values with the US, including the fight against anti-Semitism.
Regarding Iran, Livni said time is tight, and that as we speak, Iran continues to work towards the production of nuclear weapons. The foreign minister said sanctions were ineffective, and that the US, as a world leader must understand that Iran is a global threat that should be dealt with for the good of the entire world.
