Posted on 09/06/2004 7:32:34 AM PDT by F14 Pilot
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi has bluntly rejected a nuclear disarmament plan floated by US vice presidential hopeful John Edwards, calling it "campaigning."
Under the plan, thought to have originated with US presidential hopeful John Kerry, Iran could keep its nuclear power plants if it gave up the right to retain bomb-making nuclear fuel.
Floated to the Washington Post last week by Senator Edwards, the proposal was seen in some quarters as an indication that a Kerry presidency would take a dramaticaly different tack in its handling of relations with Iran, which is officially listed by the US as a state sponsor of terrorism -- in fact, as the "most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2003."
Senator Edwards told the WPost that the proposal would represent a "great bargain" for Iran -- and that should Iran reject it, a Kerry administration would be forced to conclude that Iran actually was, as the Bush administration now contends, actively pursuing the weaponisation of nuclear materials.
He said the US would then rally European support for heavy sanctions against Iran.
"If we are engaging with Iranians in an effort to reach this great bargain and if in fact this is a bluff that they are trying to develop nuclear weapons capability, then we know that our European friends will stand with us," Senator Edwards told the WPost.
According to the WPost, Senator Kerry's proposal would see the Iranian nuclear fuel supply supervised and provided by other countries.
President Bush, however, has pressed for a complete end to Iran's nuclear development programme, saying that the country's vast petrochemical base negates any legitimate need for the development of a nuclear-driven source of power.
"Iran has no legitimate requirement for nuclear reactors, uranium enrichment or plutonium production capability. Its huge oil and gas reserves belie a need for even one reactor, let alone several," said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, according to China Daily.
Tehran, however, has said it is looking to the future needs of a population that has doubled in the past 25 years and shows no signs of slowing its growth -- or its need for energy, which would grow even faster than it has historically should the nation be successful in its efforts at modernisation of industry.
Rather than welcoming the Edwards initiative, however, which closely resembles plans floated in Europe, Iranian authorities were unmoved, branding the offer as mere campaign rhetoric.
According to an AFP story headlined in Turkish Press, foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters that: "These kind of comments are mostly campaigning, and you cannot accurately assess and appraise these comments. We have to see which candidate gets elected and then see their policies in practice. This is campaigning and nothing new."
New Zealand has been actively courting Iran on the trade front recently but has cautioned the state that it stands strongly against nuclear proliferation.
ping!
So much for Kerry getting countries to do as he wants.
In the words of Nelson Munz . . .
"Senator Edwards told the WPost that the proposal would represent a "great bargain" for Iran -- and that should Iran reject it, a Kerry administration would be forced to conclude that Iran actually was, AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION NOW CONTENDS, actively pursuing the weaponisation of nuclear materials.
LOL! The Mullahs didn't get McAuliffe's talking points memo in time.
Bwahahahahah!
So what do we need Kerry and Edwards for??
So maybe we should look at this as a good thing: At least ONE of the senators is working...... ;^)
This article needs to be posted on the GOP websites, etc... you can bet the MSM will not highlight this latest "stepping in du-du" by JFK...
These guys are clueless, absolutely clueless.
Well, I guess this makes John Edwards the front runner for the Nobel Peace Prize!
But John Kerry said he would come up with much more intelligent, sensitive solutions to our foreign policy problems. Why would Iran reject a solution of this caliber out of hand? I just don't understand.
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Well, that's exactly what it is but if the Iranians were smart they would create the appearance that they were in favor of the sKerry/Eddy plan.
The fact is, Kerry is their guy, the terrorists candidate of choice, and he would do everything they wanted if he were elected.
Fortunately these bozos can't figure that out.
Alluh FUBAR!
Geez, I just lost a lot of respect for the mullahs. I thought they would at least play the rug merchant game for Kerry/Edwards. You know, they say, "Aha! Americans we can do business with! Yes, elect these guys and we'll play ball. So much more reasonable than that cowboy Bush. A rug merchant's word is his bond, after all!"
It sounds as if everyone is rejecting Kerry.
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