|
Iran renews nuclear promise, Straw says
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-26 07:23
Officials negotiating Iran's nuclear future left the table in an upbeat mood
Wednesday, with Tehran renewing its vow to refrain from developing nuclear
weapons and signaling it will pursue talks with Europe toward a final agreement
on its atomic program.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and other key European ministers met for
three hours with Iranian negotiators under an implied threat that Tehran could
be brought before the U.N. Security Council to face possible international
sanctions over its suspected nuclear activities.
From
left to right, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Britain's Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani,
attend a press briefing after the nuclear talks between three European
Union countries and Iran, in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, May 25, 2005.
[AP] | After the meeting,
Straw said Iran had "reaffirmed its commitment not to seek to develop nuclear
weapons. The freeze of the enrichment program will continue until an agreement
is reached."
Iran also agreed to more talks this summer and Hasan Rowhani, Iran's chief
nuclear negotiator, said, "We believe following the discussions today we could
come to a final agreement within a reasonably short time."
Wednesday's talks were held after the EU warned that it was moving toward the
U.S. position that Tehran should face a Security Council showdown. The United
States has demanded since last year that Iran face sanctions for its nuclear
program — but up to now the EU has used enticements instead.
The standoff began heating up after Iran announced last week it was
considering restarting its uranium-enrichment program, which Tehran insists is
only aimed at generating electricity as permitted under the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty.
Some 200 Iranian students stage a
demonstration in front of the British Embassy in Tehran on Wednesday May,
25, 2005, to support Iran's nuclear
program.[AP] | The EU and the United States fear
the program is being used to develop nuclear weapons in violation of the treaty.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said the Europeans never had to
resort to threats.
"I'm happy that it didn't come to that," he said, noting "we are still
searching for an agreement to bridge the differences."
The Europeans agreed to present Iran with more proposals in about two months,
Straw said, but declined to be specific.
Rowhani said the proposals would include economic, political and nuclear
elements, and he would have to consult with Tehran.
In the Iranian capital earlier Wednesday, President Mohammad Khatami signaled
the country's willingness to reach an agreement, saying: "We are ready to
compromise, and we hope Europe makes its decision independently and not based on
U.S. pressures."
Also in Tehran, some 200 Iranian students demonstrated in front of Western
embassies, many wearing red headbands to symbolize their readiness to fight for
Iran's right to have nuclear energy.
The two sides in Geneva said they were working on the basis of an agreement
they reached last November in Paris. In that accord, Iran agreed to suspend
uranium enrichment activities in return for British, French and German
guarantees that Iran has the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.
"The Paris agreement remains in force to ensure that Iran continues its
suspension of uranium-enrichment programs and other fuel-cycle activities," said
Straw.
As long as the agreement remains in place, the Europeans won't take Iran to
the Security Council, he said.
"We continue working in the spirit of Paris and from here on it will take us
a few weeks to make concrete proposals with the goal of putting in place a
civilian program," said French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier.
If Iran agrees to keep its program within bounds, the 25-member EU says it
can expect economic and technical cooperation as well as support for joining the
World Trade Organization.
In recent months, US President Bush has gone along with the European
approach. In March, the Bush administration agreed to drop long-standing
opposition to Iranian membership in the WTO.
|
