UK ALL-PARTY COMMISSION REJECTS US POLICY ON IRAN

A cross-party commission called for a major investment in the expansion of Britain’s diplomatic resources and overseas in-country expertise, rejecting “the kind of isolationist approach to Iran adopted by the Bush administration.” The commission, co-chaired by former Nato secretary general Lord Robertson and former High Representative for Bosnia Lord Ashdown, also recommended bringing in Iran as well as Russia, Pakistan and China in a regional peace conference on Afghanistan. Their interim report focuses on two main areas – conflict prevention and intervention in conflict environments and strengthened multilateralism, with particular reference to regional security organisations, nuclear non-proliferation, and biosecurity. In rejecting isolating Iran, it said that it was “a perennial failing of British policymaking that we put most of our effort into analysis and all too little into policy implementation or ally- gathering in response to the challenges we face.”