http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92710366
A U.S. decision to bend policy and sit down with Iran at nuclear talks fizzled Saturday, with Iran stonewalling Washington and five other world powers on their call to freeze uranium enrichment.
In response, the six gave Iran two weeks to respond to their demand, setting the stage for a new round of U.N. sanctions.
Iran's refusal to consider suspending enrichment was an indirect slap at the United States, which had sent Undersecretary of State William Burns to the talks in hopes the first-time American presence would encourage Tehran into making concessions.
Officials and diplomats refused to characterize the timeframe as an ultimatum, but it appeared clear that Iran now has a de-facto deadline to show flexibility.
EU envoy Javier Solana said that Iran still has to answer a request made on behalf of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany to "refrain from any new nuclear activity."
"We have not gotten all the answers to the questions," Solana told reporters. He said the two-week timeframe was meant to give Iran the space to come up with "the answers that will allow us to continue."
In Washington, a U.S. official was blunter.
"We hope the Iranian people understand that their leaders need to make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
In diplomatic terms, "further isolation" is shorthand for economic and political sanctions.
Keyvan Imani, a member of the Iranian delegation cast doubt over the value of talks less then an hour after they started. "Suspension — there is no chance for that," he told reporters.
Imani also downplayed the presence of Burns — even though the Americans had previously said they would not talk with the Iranians on nuclear issues unless they were ready to stop all enrichment.
"He is (just) a member of the delegation," Imani said.
Chief Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili evaded the issue of suspension, demanded as part of the six-power proposal that carries a commitment of no new U.N. sanctions in exchange for an Iranian pledge to stop expanding its enrichment program.
"Iran is calling on the Western powers to resume the dialogue," he said.
Iran already is under three sets of U.N. sanctions for its refusal to suspend enrichment, which can generate both nuclear fuel and the fissile material at the core of nuclear warheads. While Tehran says it has a right to enrich for peaceful purposes, the sanctions reflect international concern that it might use its program to make weapons.
The offer delivered to Iranian officials last month by Solana envisions a six-week commitment from Iran to stop expanding enrichment and from their interlocutors to agree to a moratorium on new sanctions for up to six weeks.
That is meant to create the framework for formal negotiations which the six nations hope would secure Iran's commitment to an indefinite ban on enrichment.
Recent Iranian statements had suggested the country is looking to improve ties with the United States, with officials speaking positively of deliberations by the Bush administration to open an interests section — an informal diplomatic presence — in Tehran after closing its embassy decades ago.
Iran and the United States broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Official contacts between the two countries are extremely rare.
Burns' decision to attend the Geneva talks showed that Washington was willing to accept something less than fully dismantling the program as it had always demanded — at least as a first step.
U.S officials had insisted Burns was at the table to listen only, describing his presence as a one-time occasion. But State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said otherwise.
Burns delivered "a clear simple message" when it was his turn to speak, McCormack told reporters in Washington.
He cited Burns as telling the his Tehran counterpart: "Iran must suspend uranium enrichment to have negotiations involving the United States."
Iran needed now to "make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," McCormack said.
John Bolton, who has served as Washington's former ambassador to the U.N and as undersecretary of state in charge of the Iran file, the outcome proved that Tehran never had "serious intntions to give up its nuclear program."
Alluding to the possibility of harsher EU sanctions, he told the AP: "I think maybe this will convince the Europeans to take stronger steps."
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/iran.nuclear/
GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator called talks Saturday with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana "constructive" but didn't say whether Iran would accept a short-term proposal to jump-start negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Solana, appearing with Saeed Jalili at a news conference, said he expects to receive an answer from Iran in two weeks.
"We still didn't get the answer we are looking for," Solana said, adding that Iranians are being given an opportunity "to interact with the international community."
As a way of addressing concerns that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons, EU officials and the United States, Russia and China have proposed that Iran take a six-week break from manufacturing centrifuges that enrich uranium.
Under the proposal, Iran would be allowed to continue to use the more than 3,000 centrifuges it already has but could not make more. In exchange, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany would not impose further sanctions against Iran during that period.
Iran says it is pursuing nuclear power only for energy purposes.
Jalili indicated that Iran wants to continue talks but gave no indication that the nuclear issue would be resolved soon.
"The experiences we have had in the past years tell us that, alone, different parties cannot resolve this," he said.
Without elaborating, Jalili said Iran has offered a package of proposals, "which is designed to address our common concerns, common worries. In return, we aren't asking for anything."
He said he spoke Saturday morning with representatives from the five Security Council members and Germany.
"I told them that there is a choice which you need to make: 'You are free to work as seven minus one or six plus one,' " Jalili said.
The State Department warned that Iran will face further "disincentives" if it chooses not to cooperate on the nuclear issue.
"We hope the Iranian people understand that their leaders need to make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a written statement.
"The P5+1 made clear to the Iranians that our proposal was serious, and an opportunity for them to engage with the international community on our concerns."
According to McCormack, U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns delivered the following message during the talks: "The United States is serious in its support for the package Mr. Solana conveyed in Tehran last month, the United States is serious in its support of P5+1 unity, and the United States with its P5+1 partners are serious that Iran must suspend uranium enrichment to have negotiations involving the United States."
The decision to send Burns is meant to send a strong signal but does not indicate a change of the U.S. position on Iran, McCormack said.
Until now, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted that the United States would talk to Iran only after Tehran halted its nuclear program.
There has been somewhat of a thaw in U.S.-Iranian relations in recent weeks. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said this month his country was interested in academic and scientific exchanges with the United States.
Mottaki said Iran has proposed resuming flights between Tehran and the United States, and there has been a suggestion that U.S. diplomats be posted in Tehran.
The United States broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in April 1980, after Americans were taken hostage the year before at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran following the U.S.-backed shah.
A U.S. decision to bend policy and sit down with Iran at nuclear talks fizzled Saturday, with Iran stonewalling Washington and five other world powers on their call to freeze uranium enrichment.
In response, the six gave Iran two weeks to respond to their demand, setting the stage for a new round of U.N. sanctions.
Iran's refusal to consider suspending enrichment was an indirect slap at the United States, which had sent Undersecretary of State William Burns to the talks in hopes the first-time American presence would encourage Tehran into making concessions.
Officials and diplomats refused to characterize the timeframe as an ultimatum, but it appeared clear that Iran now has a de-facto deadline to show flexibility.
EU envoy Javier Solana said that Iran still has to answer a request made on behalf of the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany to "refrain from any new nuclear activity."
"We have not gotten all the answers to the questions," Solana told reporters. He said the two-week timeframe was meant to give Iran the space to come up with "the answers that will allow us to continue."
In Washington, a U.S. official was blunter.
"We hope the Iranian people understand that their leaders need to make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
In diplomatic terms, "further isolation" is shorthand for economic and political sanctions.
Keyvan Imani, a member of the Iranian delegation cast doubt over the value of talks less then an hour after they started. "Suspension — there is no chance for that," he told reporters.
Imani also downplayed the presence of Burns — even though the Americans had previously said they would not talk with the Iranians on nuclear issues unless they were ready to stop all enrichment.
"He is (just) a member of the delegation," Imani said.
Chief Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili evaded the issue of suspension, demanded as part of the six-power proposal that carries a commitment of no new U.N. sanctions in exchange for an Iranian pledge to stop expanding its enrichment program.
"Iran is calling on the Western powers to resume the dialogue," he said.
Iran already is under three sets of U.N. sanctions for its refusal to suspend enrichment, which can generate both nuclear fuel and the fissile material at the core of nuclear warheads. While Tehran says it has a right to enrich for peaceful purposes, the sanctions reflect international concern that it might use its program to make weapons.
The offer delivered to Iranian officials last month by Solana envisions a six-week commitment from Iran to stop expanding enrichment and from their interlocutors to agree to a moratorium on new sanctions for up to six weeks.
That is meant to create the framework for formal negotiations which the six nations hope would secure Iran's commitment to an indefinite ban on enrichment.
Recent Iranian statements had suggested the country is looking to improve ties with the United States, with officials speaking positively of deliberations by the Bush administration to open an interests section — an informal diplomatic presence — in Tehran after closing its embassy decades ago.
Iran and the United States broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Official contacts between the two countries are extremely rare.
Burns' decision to attend the Geneva talks showed that Washington was willing to accept something less than fully dismantling the program as it had always demanded — at least as a first step.
U.S officials had insisted Burns was at the table to listen only, describing his presence as a one-time occasion. But State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said otherwise.
Burns delivered "a clear simple message" when it was his turn to speak, McCormack told reporters in Washington.
He cited Burns as telling the his Tehran counterpart: "Iran must suspend uranium enrichment to have negotiations involving the United States."
Iran needed now to "make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," McCormack said.
John Bolton, who has served as Washington's former ambassador to the U.N and as undersecretary of state in charge of the Iran file, the outcome proved that Tehran never had "serious intntions to give up its nuclear program."
Alluding to the possibility of harsher EU sanctions, he told the AP: "I think maybe this will convince the Europeans to take stronger steps."
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/iran.nuclear/
GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator called talks Saturday with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana "constructive" but didn't say whether Iran would accept a short-term proposal to jump-start negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Solana, appearing with Saeed Jalili at a news conference, said he expects to receive an answer from Iran in two weeks.
"We still didn't get the answer we are looking for," Solana said, adding that Iranians are being given an opportunity "to interact with the international community."
As a way of addressing concerns that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons, EU officials and the United States, Russia and China have proposed that Iran take a six-week break from manufacturing centrifuges that enrich uranium.
Under the proposal, Iran would be allowed to continue to use the more than 3,000 centrifuges it already has but could not make more. In exchange, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany would not impose further sanctions against Iran during that period.
Iran says it is pursuing nuclear power only for energy purposes.
Jalili indicated that Iran wants to continue talks but gave no indication that the nuclear issue would be resolved soon.
"The experiences we have had in the past years tell us that, alone, different parties cannot resolve this," he said.
Without elaborating, Jalili said Iran has offered a package of proposals, "which is designed to address our common concerns, common worries. In return, we aren't asking for anything."
He said he spoke Saturday morning with representatives from the five Security Council members and Germany.
"I told them that there is a choice which you need to make: 'You are free to work as seven minus one or six plus one,' " Jalili said.
The State Department warned that Iran will face further "disincentives" if it chooses not to cooperate on the nuclear issue.
"We hope the Iranian people understand that their leaders need to make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation," department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a written statement.
"The P5+1 made clear to the Iranians that our proposal was serious, and an opportunity for them to engage with the international community on our concerns."
According to McCormack, U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns delivered the following message during the talks: "The United States is serious in its support for the package Mr. Solana conveyed in Tehran last month, the United States is serious in its support of P5+1 unity, and the United States with its P5+1 partners are serious that Iran must suspend uranium enrichment to have negotiations involving the United States."
The decision to send Burns is meant to send a strong signal but does not indicate a change of the U.S. position on Iran, McCormack said.
Until now, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted that the United States would talk to Iran only after Tehran halted its nuclear program.
There has been somewhat of a thaw in U.S.-Iranian relations in recent weeks. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said this month his country was interested in academic and scientific exchanges with the United States.
Mottaki said Iran has proposed resuming flights between Tehran and the United States, and there has been a suggestion that U.S. diplomats be posted in Tehran.
The United States broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in April 1980, after Americans were taken hostage the year before at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran following the U.S.-backed shah.
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