2008-01-10
TEHRAN (FNA)- London has never shown a serious follow up to the case of its military boats confiscated by Iran following the British marines' trespassing on Iran's territorial waters in 2004 and 2007, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said here on Thursday.

Hosseini's remarks followed recent statements by certain British officials claiming that London's diplomatic efforts to return the said military equipment and boats from Iran have remained futile due to Tehran's unresponsiveness.
"The issue of the boats confiscated by our country's brave soldiers due to aggression against Iran's territorial waters in 2004 and 2007 was frequently raised in bilateral meetings with the British officials," the spokesman said.
"Following lengthy talks and achievement of a mutual understanding for the solution of the issue within the framework of a joint statement, Iran's proposed draft statement was delivered to Britain's ambassador to Tehran on February 22, 2005 and the issue was seriously followed up by Iranian officials both in Tehran and London. But British officials did not pursue the issue and provided no response to the said draft statement," he added.
Hosseini further pointed to the detention of British trespassers in Iranian waters in 2007, and said, "After the detained British marines were pardoned by the (Iranian) president and freed, the Islamic Republic of Iran's officials voiced their preparedness in several meetings with the British side to resolve the issue, but Britons have not so far shown any serious follow-up to this issue either."



http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8610200350


Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini