Iranian Alert -- October 29, 2003 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD PING LIST

IRAN REPEATED CONDITIONS FOR IMPROVING TIES WITH WASHINGTON

PARIS 29 Oct. (IPS)

Iran cold shouldered recent American suggestions of adopting a "flexible, dynamic and multifaceted" policy towards Tehran, saying one "can not pose threats on the one hand and then call for talks on the other.

In a statement read to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Hermitage, the Under Secretary of State in charge of the Middle East said the United States intends to pursue a "flexible, dynamic and multifaceted" policy toward Iran in order to encourage the Iranian people's desire for greater freedom while countering negative policies of their government, such as pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and support for terrorism".

However, he warned that relations would not improve until Iran hand over to the American Justice the members of the al-Qa’eda organisation it held in its prisons, stops supporting terrorist groups and renounces to producing nuclear weapons.

"The United States is always prepared to change its policies toward Iran if the country ceases its support for terrorism and abandons its weapons of mass destruction programs", Mr. Armitage told American lawmakers, pointing out that negotiations with Iran on issues of mutual concern, like Iraq or fighting drugs would continue at "low-level" and in "multi-party talks".

In response, Mr. Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, the Iranian government official spokesman said that the United States must take "practical steps" to improve relations with Iran. "We are looking forward to the US practical measures", he said, adding that Washington must end sanctions it had enforced against the Islamic Republic, free Iranian assets it has blocked and ends baseless charges in order to build confidence.

"You cannot pose threats on one hand, block Iranian national assets, fabricate charges against Iran and then call for talks", the official news agency IRNA quoted him as having told reporters on Wednesday in response to a question whether Iran accepts Armitage’s proposal to Iran to initiate talks.

For his part, President Mohammad Khatami found "nothing new" about the accusations made by Mr. Armitage.

Addressing reporters after attending a cabinet meeting Wednesday, in response to a question on US charges against Iran, the Chief Executive termed it as "baseless and outdated", IRNA reported.

"Iranian authorities use torture, arbitrary detention and excessive force to repress the freedoms of speech, association and religion", said Armitage, adding that Iran's pursuit and development of weapons of mass destruction have aroused international concern. Iran also continues to be the world's foremost state supporter of terrorism, not only through support of organizations such as Hizballah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, but the United States also believes elements of the Iranian government have helped members of al-Qaida and Ansar al-Islam transit and find safe haven in Iran".

Though some Iranian political analysts shared Mr. Khatami’s views, however, they said Armitage’s latest statement was "encouraging", specially in regard of his assessments of the Iranian political situation.

"Iran is a country in the midst of a tremendous transformation, and I believe American policy can affect the direction Iran will take", the Under-Secretary went on, quoting Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and human rights activist who won this year’s Nobel Peace prize that "changes in Iran must come from within the nation".

In his prepared remarks, Armitage said the Iranian people were now "engaged in a very rich and lively debate about the kind of society they want for themselves and for their children", including the desire for substantial economic and democratic reforms.

"The agreement reached last week in Tehran between the Iranian authorities with the foreign affairs ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom concerning Iran’s atomic projects has had diminished Washington’s concern over Iranian atomic projects for a great deal and paved the way for a more amenable atmosphere in relations between Iran and the United States", observed Mr. Hooshang Amir Ahmadi, the Chairman of the American-Iranian Council, that encourages rapprochement between Tehran and Washington.

He said though Mr. Armitage did not mentioned the situation of human rights in his remarks to the Senate, but it does not mean that the issue is no more a matter of concern for Washington.

"The Americans are advancing step by step. At present, their priority is Iran’s quest for producing nuclear weapons. This concern seems partly diminished after Iran pledged to the three European ministers that it would sign the additional Protocols (to the Non Proliferation Treaty) and suspend its uranium enriching programs", he added during an interview from New York with the Persian service of Radio France International.

The deputy secretary listed U.S. concerns over what he termed the "negative and destructive policies and actions" taken by the Iranian government, namely its poor human rights record, its nuclear, biological and chemical weapons programs, and its support for terrorist organizations.

The United States, he said, does not seek conflict with Iran. However, to counter negative Iranian activities, the United States is employing sanctions, interdiction, law enforcement, diplomacy, and international public opinion, said Armitage. He said such measures "will be especially effective" if other countries participate in a sustained effort.

But Mr. Amir Ahmadi, who is also teaching Middle Eastern policies at New York universities, doubted the Iranian clerical-led regime could be more explicit in its conflictual relations with the United States.

Washington cut off all ties with the Islamic Republic and imposed unilateral sanctions after Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979, taking 55 American diplomats and staff as hostages for 444 days.

However, officials from the two sides meet regularly in meetings over issues of mutual concerns, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, two Iranian neighbours where former governments hostiles to Iran had been toppled under American military interventions. ENDS IRAN US DIALOGUE 291003

http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2003/Oct-2003/iran_us_dialogue_291003.htm

Russian official: No obstacle in sending fuel to Iran's Bushehr plant

10/29/03
Payvand Iran News

Russian Minister of Nuclear Energy Alexander Rumyantsev in a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday with Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Gholam-Reza Shafei said there is no obstacle to sending fuel for Bushehr nuclear power plant, IRNA reported.

The two sides also discussed the general trend of the two nations nuclear cooperation, the progress in the Bushehr power plant operational phases and the return of spent fuel to Russia.

The Russian energy minister said, "Moscow has always had good ties with Iran and our position regarding ties with Tehran have not changed."

He also stressed on speedy completion of Bushehr nuclear power plant saying he is ready to make a trip to closely inspect the construction and remove possible technical operational snags. "We can also begin preliminary discussions on building the second phase of Bushehr power plant," he said.

Following the signing of an addendum to the contract, return of spent fuel to Russia and its related documents, fuel for the power plant will be sent, he said.

For his part, Shafei alluded to the 'useful comments offered on the part of Russian officials' regarding the recent Tehran decisions on its nuclear program.

Hopefully, following Iran's announcement on signing the additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the two countries will forge closer cooperation.

He said the Russia should follow up its commitments in building the Bushehr power plant so it can be completed on schedule.

Russian specialists have worked on the power plant's initial phase since 1995. The completion rate is nearing 80-85 percent. Under the newly-agreed schedule the reactor is to become operational in the first months of 2005. About 1,500 Russian specialists are building the power plant.

Over one hundred Russian enterprises are involved in the project in the capacity of providers. The first reactor's estimated cost is nearly one billion dollars.

Also, the last group of Iranian shift engineers for the Bushehr nuclear power plant has completed a course of training at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in Russia.

By that time of the completion of the first phase of the power plant a total of 700 Iranian specialists will have been trained at the training site.

Over 300 specialists have already completed training with the use of simulators approximating all conceivable processes at an operating nuclear power plant.

Last group of Iranian shift engineers for Bushehr trained

Voronezh, Russia, Oct 29, Itar-Tass/ACSNA/IRNA -- The last group of Iranian shift engineers for the Bushehr nuclear power plant has completed a course of training at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in Russia.

The graduation examinations were attended by representatives of an Iranian government agency, the chief of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant training center, Alexander Ivanchenko told Tass.

The first reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant is scheduled to go into operation in the first months of 2005. By that time a total of 700 Iranian specialists will have been trained at Novovoronezh in more than 30 specialties.

Over 300 specialists have already completed training with the use of simulators approximating all conceivable processes at an operating nuclear power plant.

The engineers trained in the last group will be responsible for commanding work shifts.

"They are competent specialists with university degrees. Some received higher education in European countries. They have in-depth knowledge of how a nuclear power plant works and should be run," Ivanchenko said.

http://www.payvand.com/news/03/oct/1179.html

Iran says US deputy secretary of state`s comments inappropriate

IRNA News Agency
Iran

Tehran, Oct 30, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi
here on Wednesday evening branded US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage`s comments on Iran as "inappropriate and one-sided."
Armitage repeated the United States` claims at the US Senate
Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that "Washington remains
concerned about Tehran`s alleged support for terrorist groups...
including Al-Qaeda"
Asefi said, "The literature used by US politicians do not match
the demands they are making."
Armitage had earlier on Tuesday said that the US may hold limited
talks with Iran, but normal relations -- broken in 1980 -- were not
on the table.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, touching on Al-Qaeda
issue, added, "The US stand on terrorism issue is quite vague and
unclear," adding, "the Americans do not have a bright and unbiased
record in international campaign against terrorism either."
On deputy US secretary of state`s announcement that the United
States may hold talks with Iran, Asefi said, "Such comments are
made following the accelerating pace of the troubles with which the
Americans are faced with in this region, as we had predicted from
scratch."
He said, "Iran`s decisions are made based on our national
interests and national security, not that of the others."
Armitage had made resumption of talks with Iranians conditional
with securing the US interests, adding that Washington would not
yield to any preconditions for talks with Iran.
Iranian Government Spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, too, responded
to Armitage`s recent comments after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
"We are expecting practical steps by US," he said, adding, "you
can`t threaten from one side and block our assets... then request
negotiations."
Ramezanzadeh said, "First and foremost, the US should stop
accusing us."

http://www.irna.ir/?SAB=OK&LANG=EN&PART=_NEWS&TYPE=HE#2003_10_3000_32_02F08

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