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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday thatmilitary action against Iran over its nuclear program was beingconsidered in some Western countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was speaking to reporters ona plane on his way back from the G8 summit in Camp David, where theG8 leaders signaled their readiness to tap into emergency oilstockpiles quickly this summer if tougher new sanctions on Iranthreatened to strain supplies. "It is one of many various signals coming from various sources thatthe military option is considered as realistic and possible," hesaid. "We are receiving signals, both through public andintelligence channels, that this option is now being reviewed insome capitals as more applicable in this situation". "We are very worried about this. We do not want the region and theworld to fall into...new divisions and bitter political arguments,"he said. Western countries suspect Iran's nuclear program is aimed at makinga nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies. A European Union embargo of Iranian crude takes effect in July andtough new U.S. sanctions come into force in late June. Iran's oilexports have fallen by more than a fifth this year. Russia has adamantly urged Western nations not to attack Iran toneutralize its nuclear program, saying that threats would onlyencourage Tehran to develop such weapons. Ryabkov dismissed suggestions that Russia, the world's biggest oilexporter, sought to keep tensions around Iran on the boil in orderto benefit from higher global oil prices. "It would be a simplification and possibly even a deliberatedistortion of Moscow's position to believe that based on some wild,egoistic intentions, we want oil to cost $200 per barrel," Ryabkovsaid. He said Russia wanted to keep oil prices stable at a levelacceptable to consumers and suppliers. He said that any gains fromthe oil price spike would be short-lived. A meeting between Iran and six world powers - Russia, China, theUnited States, Britain, France and Germany - is scheduled to takeplace in Baghdad on May 23. Ryabkov said Russia had drafted a set of proposals for the Baghdadtalks, saying negotiations needed to produce evidence of progressto the international community. Proposals included suggested steps for Iran to restoreinternational confidence as well as incentives on cooperation, saidRyabkov, adding that any followup round of talks should take placewithin weeks in order to maintain the momentum. "Practical results are needed that can be shown to theinternational community as evidence that we are moving forward,"Ryabkov said. TENSIONS OVER SYRIA Much like with Iran, Moscow has long urged Western powers not tointervene in Syria over bloodshed in which the United Nations saysmore than 9,000 people have been killed. At a G8 summit in France in May 2011, Russia successfully managedto water down a statement on Syria removing calls for actionagainst Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Ryabkov said that this time part of the G8 statement which concernsSyria, which called for a "political transition leading to ademocratic plural political system", fully satisfied Russia. "Anything that will be a product of the process of nationalreconciliation and dialogue will satisfy the Russian side. We arenobody's advocates in this process," he said. Ryabkov said Assad's departure from power in a scenario similar toYemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had been granted immunityfrom prosecution, was discussed at the G8 summit, but Russiaopposed the idea. (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski, editing by Maria Golovnina and Diana Abdallah ). The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China Bike Reflectors , China Mini Bike Lights, and more. For more , please visit Bicycle Seat Covers today!
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