First draft of a speech for Prime Minister Harper (disclaimer follows) .
Ladies and Gentleman,
First let me congratulate the President-Elect of the United States on his forthcoming inauguration.
Let me also say that Canada is ready and willing to work with you Mr. President, to address in a positive way, some of the most urgent problems facing our planet today.
In particular, I wish to address the issue of Iran's nuclear policy.
Let me say that my government has held discussions with Iranian officials and also with officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency; both have assured us that the government of Iran has no plans to produce a nuclear weapon. For that we are grateful. I wish to add that Iran has offered additional assurances that ought to go some way to alleviate the fears of all those who are concerned about the future peace of our world, including Israel, a state, which has expressed concern for its own security.
Mr. President, the time for belligerent and bellicose rhetoric – as we have both agreed – has passed. The time for angry and provocative slogans has passed.
Indeed, the time has come for a new approach. One that will offer all of us a way out of what seems to so many – an impasse – with no peaceful exit.
Let me be blunt Mr. President.
America has a long and particularly difficult history with Iran. It's a painful history that goes back to the combined British and American action of 1953, to overthrow the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mossadegh. That historical mistake was then compounded by the installation of the dictator, Shah Reza Pahlavi. His autocratic approach to government divided the Iranian people and contributed to the poisoning of relations with America and indeed with the West.
That is simply the stark reality, which we cannot ignore.
We find ourselves today in the deepest and most dangerous of dilemmas.
Mr. President, I repeat, Canada stands ready to do its part.
My government is calling today for the establishment of a world-wide consortium of uranium-producing nations. This consortium, under the legal authority of the United Nations, would undertake to assist the government of Iran and other governments in the development of full-scale nuclear enrichment programmes, dedicated to the production of nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Such a programme would, of course, be subject to strict inspection rules laid down by the IAEA under the direction of its Chairman, the highly respected Dr. Mohammed elBaradei.
Further we call on the community of nations – collectively – to renounce once and for all – any further development of weapons of mass destruction.
Further – we call on all nations, which have not yet signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to do so without delay.
And finally, we call on all nations, now in possession of nuclear weapons or nuclear facilities of any kind, to open all of their facilities to unfettered international inspection.
In order to reach these goals, Canada calls upon all members of the international community to support the convening of a bona fide international working group. This group would include your country, Mr. President, as well as Iran, all other members of the Security Council and delegates from IAEA.
Only by taking decisive and meaningful action immediately, will we be able to move forward along the path of peace, which all of us wish to follow.
Thank you.
(Disclaimer: There is no doubt that such a proposal by Mr. Harper followed to its logical conclusion would win him the Nobel Peace prize. It would ensure his legacy as a peacemaker in the ranks of Lester B. Pearson and Nelson Mandela. However it is unlikely that Mr. Harper will ever deliver this speech or indeed anything like it, because he would be calling on India, Pakistan and Israel to support and obey international law.)
[I hope I'm wrong].
I loved this letter, Jim, and too bad Harper did not do something like this to support a new era of improving relations in this world. I agree, it would be a bold, courageous step for a leader to do the right thing. He could, in this way, make his mark in the World.
he could still refine the idea and make the speech. there’s time.
Have you sent it to him? If not, you should. It’s wonderfully written and would surprise many people, if he did something like this. Very positive indeed.