EU ambassadors set to pack their bags for Tehran

Date: 24/04/1997

By Mark Turner

WESTERN Europe is poised to send its ambassadors back to Iran after a crucial meeting of EU foreign ministers next week.

After a week of intense high-level discussions, Union governments are set to return their envoys to the country recently found guilty of sponsoring terrorism in Germany - and to decide what sort of messages they should take with them.

Although details are unlikely to be made public before the ambassadors reach Tehran, Brussels sources suggest ministers may cut off high-level contacts, threaten economic measures and confirm the Union's suspension of its 'critical dialogue' with the Islamic state. They will also seek assurances that Iran will not sponsor further terrorist acts and will maintain its commitment to the non-proliferation of weapons.

But insiders suggest they are unlikely to go as far as withdrawing trading benefits under the EU's generalised system of preferences.

The moves follow the EU's lightning reaction to the German court ruling on 10 April that Tehran had ordered the killing of four Kurdish dissidents in Berlin. Within hours of the decision, member states withdrew their ambassadors and called a halt to the critical dialogue, proving that where there is a will the Union can act with surprising speed. In a tit-for-tat move, Iran, which denies any involvement in the killings, withdrew its representatives to Europe, expressing outrage at the EU's stance.

Although there are clearly nuances of position within the Union, Iran has managed to unite its governments in a way the Albanian crisis clearly failed to do. “The statement given out by political directors last week demonstrated a clear sense of solidarity with Germany on this,” said one Brussels diplomat.

Officials stress that the return of the ambassadors will not mean the Union is backtracking, but is the logical next step.

“It was always clear that their withdrawal was not a 'measure' as such, but a means by which the Union could coordinate its response to the ruling,” said the diplomat.

Although the French and German governments have stressed the need for continued diplomatic cooperation, both the ruling and the Union's reaction sparked large-scale popular protests in Iran.

Europe's tough action against the international pariah has been well received by the US, although it would prefer harsher economic sanctions. Last year, Washington passed a bill attacking foreign companies which invested in the country, mirroring similar extraterritorial legislation on Cuba and provoking deep resentment in Europe.

The EU's critical dialogue with Iran had allowed for debate with the country's leaders without adding political support. But although backed by Italy, France and Germany (which saw business opportunities in the Middle Eastern giant) until the court judgement, it had come under growing attack from states such as Denmark and was openly condemned by hounded author Salman Rushdie.