Tehran at centre stage of N-treaty confce

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UNITED NATIONS, May 4 (AP): Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seized center stage at the opening of a monthlong debate at the United Nations on how to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. But behind the scenes, U.N. Security Council powers were discussing ways to punish Iran for defying their demands that it curb nuclear activities that could be used to make bombs.
The Iranian president used his platform as the only head of state to address the conference of signatories of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) to undermine growing momentum in the Security Council for a new round of sanctions.
Speaking from the podium of the General Assembly Hall, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton accused Iran of "flouting the rules" of the nonproliferation treaty with its suspect uranium enrichment program.
"I hope that we can reach agreement in the Security Council on tough new sanctions," Clinton told reporters, "because I believe that is the only way to catch Iran's attention."
Earlier in the day, Ahmadinejad rejected such allegations about its nuclear program, saying Washington has offered not "a single credible proof" that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons. Iran says it only wants the technology for producing nuclear power.
As the Iranian president spoke, the U.S. delegation, of working-level staff, walked out of the General Assembly, joined by several European delegations, including the French and British. Lower-level Iranian officials sat through Clinton's later speech.
Meanwhile, AFP from Dubai adds: Turkey will do all it can to avoid any military confrontation and sanctions on Iran, while ensuring Tehran is transparent about its nuclear programme, its foreign minister said in a report published Tuesday.
"We will do everything possible to build trust between Iran and the United States and Iran and the West to avoid a military confrontation and possible sanctions," Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying by Al-Hayat newspaper.