Declining Support for Tough Measures Against Iran's Nuclear Program: Global Poll

11 Mar 2008 01:00 Africa/Lagos


Declining Support for Tough Measures Against Iran's Nuclear Program: Global Poll

COLLEGE PARK, Md., March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Support for tough measures against Iran's nuclear program has fallen in 13 out of 21 countries according to a new BBC World Service Poll.


Compared to results from a June 2006 BBC World Service Poll, support for economic sanctions or military strikes has declined significantly, including in countries that were previously among the highest supporters of tough action.


Support for these measures has dropped 10 points in Australia (52 percent to 42 percent), nine points in Britain (43 percent to 34 percent), nine points in Germany (46 percent to 37 percent), seven points in Canada (52 percent to 45 percent), six points in the United States (66 percent to 60 percent) and 30 points in Mexico (46 percent to 16 percent).


Only three countries show an increase in support for economic sanctions or military strikes: an increase of nine points among Israelis (62 percent to 71 percent), six points among South Koreans (47 percent to 53 percent), and 12 points among Turkish respondents (21 percent to 33 percent).


Across all 31 countries surveyed in the latest poll (the 21 tracking countries plus an additional 10 countries polled for the first time), most respondents oppose the use of economic sanctions or military strikes.


Respondents were presented four options that the UN Security Council could use to address the fact that Iran continues to produce nuclear fuel in defiance of the UN Security Council resolution. The options of economic sanctions or military strikes were rejected in 27 out of 31 countries. Instead, the most preferred approaches are to either use only diplomatic efforts or not pressure Iran at all.


On average 57 percent favor diplomacy (43 percent) or no pressure on Iran (14 percent). Just one-in-three favor economic sanctions (26 percent) or military strikes (8 percent).


The results are drawn from a survey of 32,039 adult citizens across 31 countries conducted for the BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland. GlobeScan coordinated fieldwork between October 31, 2007 and January 25, 2008.


Steven Kull, Director of PIPA comments, "It appears that people in many countries are interested in ramping down the confrontation with Iran, while still using UN inspectors to ensure that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons."


For more information, visit: http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/


Source: Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland

CONTACT: Steven Kull, Director, Program on International Policy
Attitudes, +1-202-232-7500



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