Geithner to Discuss More Iran Sanctions on Europe, Mideast Trip

Bloomberg, July 9, 2009 — U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will discuss with officials in Europe and the Middle East the current international sanctions against Iran and the possibility of more, a Treasury official said.
Geithner is visiting the U.K., Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and France next week for discussions about the global economy, efforts to prevent terrorism financing and the threat Iran poses, two Treasury officials said in a briefing today with reporters in Washington. The July 12-16 trip includes a speech in Jeddah on July 14, one of the officials said.
Geithner’s first visit to the Mideast as Treasury chief is aimed at explaining to allies and trading partners the state of the U.S. economy and shoring up their support for efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear program, stabilize Iraq and quell violence in Afghanistan, said the officials, who declined to be identified.
“It’s a good idea to maintain these contacts,”
a professor at Stanford University in Stanford, California, who served as Treasury undersecretary for international affairs from 2001 to 2005, said in an interview. “It establishes a sense of trust so when difficult times come, or come back, they are familiar with each other and trust each other.”
This week, Group of Eight leaders condemned Iran’s violent crackdown on protests»