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EU wants mission to help Iran get light-water nuclear reactor: diplomat
AFP ^ | Fri Feb 11,12:52 PM ET

Posted on 02/12/2005 11:07:16 AM PST by jb6

GENEVA (AFP) - EU negotiators offered to send a mission to help Iran obtain a nuclear light-water research reactor, in what would be the first concrete move towards rewarding Tehran for abandoning uranium enrichment, diplomats said as four days of EU-Iranian talks ended.

AFP Photo

Reuters Slideshow: Iran Nuclear Issues

Iran's reaction was not immediately known in talks that have been deadlocked since beginning in December.

The trio of Britain, France and Germany, representing the European Union (news - web sites), is trying to convince Iran to dismantle an enrichment program that the United States says is part of secret nuclear weapons development.

In return, Iran would get economic and political rewards.

The United States is warily watching the talks, which began in December in Brussels and are to continue next month, apparently in Geneva.

Washington backs the diplomacy but has not ruled out military action against Iran, which President George W. Bush (news - web sites) has called part of an "axis of evil" of rogue states seeking nuclear weapons.

The talks come as another state in this so-called axis, North Korea (news - web sites), proclaimed this week that it has nuclear weapons and no longer wishes to negotiate with the West about them, in a move that has raised tension worldwide about atomic proliferation.

In Geneva, the European trio and Iran discussed having the trio send a mission to help Iran get a light-water research reactor that would be less of a proliferation risk than a heavy-water reactor the Iranians want to build, a diplomat close to the talks told AFP.

Heavy-water reactors use natural uranium and can produce significant amounts of plutonium, a prime nuclear weapons material.

The European trio had proposed a mission on the light-water reactor at previous talks in Geneva in January but the Iranians had not responded, said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

Non-proliferation expert Gary Samore, of London's International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told AFP by telephone that the Europeans wanted to send the mission "to demonstrate that progress is being made."

But the Iranians are delaying since they fear "setting a precedent of European support with peaceful nuclear technology in exchange for Iran agreeing to abandon its indigenous program," said Samore, who served as a government advisor on non-proliferation issues to former US president Bill Clinton (news - web sites).

A second diplomat said that this week's meeting should be seen as part of "a process," with another session at this experts level in March and then later in that month a more senior "steering committee meeting" to give a first overview of progress.

The talks were the third round since Iran agreed with the EU in November to suspend uranium enrichment, the key process in making what can be nuclear fuel but also the explosive core of atomic bombs, in return for negotiations on giving benefits that could range from a reactor to entry into the World Trade Organization (news - web sites) (WTO).

Both enriched uranium and plutonium are atomic bomb materials.

Iran refuses however to expand its suspension into a definitive abandonment of enrichment, claiming it has the right under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to make enriched uranium.

Diplomats stressed that none of the rewards the European trio is holding out to Iran would be given before the uranium enrichment issue was resolved, and that rewards also depended on the United States signing on to the process.

The first diplomat said talks on this issue in Geneva "deepened discussions the two sides have had before without the two sides coming much closer."

Iran's cessation of enrichment remained the EU's "final goal," the diplomat said.

As to whether the EU might be opening a door to compromise by dropping its insistance that enrichment facilities actually be dismantled, the diplomat said "first you have to agree on the principle."

The second diplomat said the key issue in the talks was determining "what objective guarantees the Iranians can produce" to show they are not interested in developing nuclear weapons.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: eu; fourthreich; iaea; iran; lightwater; nukes; trade; yousaie

1 posted on 02/12/2005 11:07:17 AM PST by jb6
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To: jb6
Now, how the hell do you reconcile this article vs this article???

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Politics - AFP
AFP
US, EU approaches on Iran close, Rumsfeld says

1 hour, 31 minutes ago
Add to My Yahoo!  Politics - AFP

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - The United States and the European Union (news - web sites) share the view that Iran must not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons and their approaches to ensuring this does not happen are very close, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said.

Photo
AFP/DDP Photo

 

"There's not much daylight between the approaches of the United States and the Europeans" on Iran, Rumsfeld said at an annual international security conference in Munich.

"There is very broad agreement: It is not in the interest of the world that there be a nuclear program in Iran," Rumsfeld said.

He said the United States had "hope" that three key European Union countries -- Britain, German and France -- spearheading an EU initiative to persuade Iran through diplomatic negotiations to restrict its nuclear program would achieve that goal.

The United States and the European Union agreed that the current direction of Iran's nuclear program "is not something that would contribute to stability in the world," he said.

Earlier, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder called on the United States to "actively" support the diplomatic efforts led by the so-called "EU-3" to persuade Iran through diplomatic means to abandon its nuclear ambitions in exchange for security guarantees.

"I strongly encourage the US administration to actively support the Europeans' diplomatic efforts," Schroeder said in a speech read at a security conference here by German Defense Minister Peter Struck because the chancellor was ill.

"Iran will only abandon its nuclear ambitions for good if not only its economic but also its legitimate security interests are safeguarded.

"In order to achieve this, it will be necessary to work with our American partner and in a dialogue with the region to develop sustainable security structures for the Gulf region," the German leader's speech said.

Meanwhile in Tehran, Iran's senior negotiator said EU negotiators appeared to be more serious in the latest round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program but cautioned that considerable differences remain.

"In previous rounds of talks, the Europeans were not very serious. Therefore, we were heavily critical, and this time the European side was more serious," Hossein Moussavian told Iran's state television on Saturday.

"That's why we consider the negotiations process more positive."

Tehran insists its talks with the European Union, which began in mid-December, must have concrete results within three months if they are to continue.

On Friday, diplomats said EU negotiators had offered to send a mission to help Iran obtain a nuclear light-water research reactor, in what would be the first concrete move towards rewarding Tehran for abandoning uranium enrichment.


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Next Story: 'New' Rumsfeld calls for transatlantic unity (AFP)

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2 posted on 02/12/2005 11:08:35 AM PST by jb6 (Truth = Christ)
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To: jb6

Have we seen this movie before?


3 posted on 02/12/2005 11:09:38 AM PST by GOPJL (gopjl)
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To: GOPJL

Yep.

It's just mind-numbing.

Or is it?

The possible truth is harder to accept: the French wanted Iraq and Iran to get nuclear weapons, because they believe this will make their oil supply invulnerable to American attack?


4 posted on 02/12/2005 11:17:13 AM PST by Vicomte13 (La nuit s'acheve!)
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To: GOPJL

Hey, it worked with North Korea....Oh wait, no it didn't.


5 posted on 02/12/2005 11:17:18 AM PST by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: USNBandit

It worked with North Korea if the real objective was to let the North Koreans get nukes, so that there would be yet another US-immune sanctuary.


6 posted on 02/12/2005 11:18:05 AM PST by Vicomte13 (La nuit s'acheve!)
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To: jb6

I hope the Europeans are going to be comfortable living under an Iranian 'nuclear umbrella'. Some people just have to learn the hard way!


7 posted on 02/12/2005 11:37:08 AM PST by Rummyfan
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To: Vicomte13

Well, Clinton was building 2 nuke reactors for the N.Koreans while his brother was entertaining the dictator with rock performances.


8 posted on 02/12/2005 12:06:33 PM PST by jb6 (Truth = Christ)
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To: jb6

I dont know who I distrust the most , The EU or Iran.


9 posted on 02/12/2005 1:02:53 PM PST by sgtbono2002
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To: sgtbono2002

What's the difference? Iran is an Islamic Theocracy, the EU is a Humanist Theocracy, both hate Christ just the same.


10 posted on 02/12/2005 4:46:33 PM PST by jb6 (Truth = Christ)
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