UAE, Berlin urge Iran to abandon N-stand

ABU DHABI (AFP/Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates and Germany said on Sunday that Iran must do more to allay the international communitys concerns about its nuclear programme or fresh sanctions would be likely.
Following a meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said he hoped Iran would cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog.
We are very concerned about Irans non-transparent behaviour with regard to its nuclear programme, he said after talks with his visiting German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle.
That is based on its lack of cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). We want more active cooperation from Iran. That would be in the interests of the world, the region and Iran itself.
Sheikh Abdullah noted that the UN Security Council could soon pass a fourth round of sanctions to try to force Iran to abandon sensitive nuclear work, which the West fears is a cover for an atomic weapons programme.
Tehran denies wanting to acquire a nuclear bomb. We hope that Iran will behave so cooperatively that sanctions will not be necessary, the UAE foreign minister said.
We in the United Arab Emirates as a neighbour state are particularly affected by what Iran is targeted by but also everything it does.
He added that his country could serve as an example for the transparent use of nuclear energy, pointing to a 20.4-billion-dollar deal with South Korea to build four nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates.
Westerwelle, who is on a tour of Gulf states and whose country is one of six working to convince Tehran to cooperate with the IAEA, said he and Abdullah were in broad agreement.
The ministers also discussed the security of Yemen amid reports that Westerwelle planned to visit the strife-ridden country on Monday, and negotiations to end a continuing hostage crisis there.
Westerwelle declined to comment directly on either issue. The hostage-taking is of course a barbaric act that we condemn, he said, referring to a German family of five and a Briton who were abducted in Yemen last June.
We are doing everything we can to allow the hostages to return to their loved ones, he said, but declined to discuss specifics.
On Yemen, Westerwelle said: I would not like to talk about travel plans at this time for various reasons.
Major powers may soon meet to discuss Irans nuclear program, the State Department said on Monday, saying the talks could occur when US Undersecretary of State William Burns travels to Moscow and Madrid this week.
There may well be a P5+1 meeting coming up in the very near future ... it could be part of this trip, US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters, referring to a group that includes the permanent five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. He said Burns would travel to Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday and to Madrid on Friday.
Meanwhile, Glencore has ceased gasoline supply to Iran to avoid fallout from US sanctions on companies supplying fuel to the Islamic republic, ending three decades of business that began with its founding firm, trade sources said.
The firm, which only did a small portion of its trade with Iran, has stopped shipments since November as it gears up for a potential public listing, traders familiar with the countrys monthly gasoline imports told Reuters.
Swiss-based commodities trader Glencore declined to comment on the matter.
There is growing concern about the legislation the US is pursuing with regards to Iran, said a trade source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make public statements.
This could make it very tricky for Glencore and other companies doing business with Iran.
The US House of Representatives passed legislation in December authorising President Barack Obama to levy sanctions on companies that directly provide gasoline to Iran, along with firms that provide insurance and tankers to facilitate fuel shipments.
At the end of the day for Glencore, this is a small return business, again risk outweighs the reward, an Asia-based trader said.
The bulk of Glencores business with OPEC-member Iran in recent years has been to supply the worlds fifth-largest crude oil exporter with gasoline.
The European trader has been supplying no more than 17,000 barrels per day (bpd) of gasoline per month to Iran, a small portion of the Islamic republics typical monthly import programme of between 10 and 12 cargoes, or some 102,000 bpd.
Past suppliers such as international oil major BP had also halted their gasoline exports to Iran due to pressure from the US and British governments.
But the supply gap could be easily filled by traders such as independent firms Trafigura and Vitol, Malaysias national oil company Petronas and Chinese companies.