EU urges G7 unity over Iran

BRUSSELS, Aug 22 (KUNA) -- The European Union (EU) Thursday warned that division among the seven-most advanced industrialised countries (G7) on Iran is counterproductive and hampering progress on the Iran nuclear deal.
"Iran is dividing the G7. This is a huge paradox since the US, the EU and all of us share the same objective that Iran must not become a nuclear power," a senior EU official said.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was briefing journalists in Brussels on the agenda of the G7 summit which will be held in Biarritz, France, on 24-26 August.
He said that among foreign issues Iran will be at the focus of the meeting of G7 leaders who will discuss the "unconstructive role of Iran in the region," and added that the EU will reiterate its commitment to the Iran nuclear deal.
"The discussion on Iran will be much broader than just the maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
"We believe that tensions between the EU and US will be counterproductive. Since the US left the nuclear deal we were unable to make progress on any of the points on the Iran file," admitted the EU official.
"We need unity among G7 on Iran," he stressed.
G7 leaders will exchange views and seek common ground on the most pressing foreign policy challenges such as Iran, Libya, the situation in Syria and Middle East, Ukraine, North Korea and Venezuela, he noted.
The summit will bring together the heads of state or government from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as President of the European Council Donald Tusk. France holds the current G7 Presidency.
In Biarritz, leaders are expected to endorse a new framework between the G7 and Africa.
The priority issue will be to co-develop, with the African partners, concrete tools for a sustainable economic development of the continent, focusing in particular on women's entrepreneurship and the digital transformation.
A special focus will be on the Sahel. A specific G7 action plan for the region is expected to be endorsed to improve development and security cooperation, said the EU official.
Non-G7 partners invited to Biarrtiz summit are Australia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Egypt, India, Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, and South Africa, as well as the heads of the African Union, IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank.
He stressed that the issue of Brexit is not on the agenda of the summit.
Moreover, the EU supports France's decision not to invite Russia because the reasons to exclude Russia from the group is valid as it was five years ago, said the official.
"The invitation (to Russia) will be counterproductive and a sign of weakness," he said.
Russia was suspended from the group (formerly G8) after its annexation of Ukraine's territory of Crimea in 2014. (end) nk.mt