Posted on 05/04/2008 12:48:55 AM PDT by NoLibZone
MOSCOW: World powers have proposed Iran cease uranium enrichment during international talks with Tehran on its nuclear programme; Interfax news agency quoted Russia’s foreign minister as saying on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking after his return from a London meeting of major powers on Iran, said uranium enrichment would have to be suspended for the talks.
“Our first condition is the freezing, suspension of uranium enrichment,” Lavrov was quoted as saying in Moscow by Interfax.” The view of the six (powers) is that Iran must cease enrichment of uranium only for the period in which talks last.”
“It is not an ultimatum, it is a proposal,” Lavrov said. “It is a very genuine proposal.” Major powers agreed on Friday to make a new offer of incentives to Iran to halt its sensitive nuclear work, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said. “We very much hope that they will recognise the seriousness and the sincerity with which we have approached this issue and that they will respond in a timely manner to the suggestions that we are making,” Miliband said on Friday in a statement, saying the details of the offer would not be made public.
Meanwhile, Iran told Britain not to cross any “red lines” when preparing incentives for the Islamic Republic aimed at ending a row with the West over Tehran’s nuclear programme, the Iranian foreign minister said on Saturday.
Iran refused the last such offer made in 2006 and officials have in the past described a demand that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment programme as a “red line”. They say it is Iran’s right to carry out such work and say the aim is peaceful.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr said he met his British counterpart, David Miliband, in Kuwait recently. Britain and Iran attended a multilateral meeting there on Iraq last month.
Miliband had said world powers would meet in May and planned to “write a letter” to Tehran, Mottaki said.
“I told him that ‘You have used a word, and I think it is a forbidden word ... Don’t pass those red lines. Be careful about that’,” Mottaki said without saying what those “red lines” were.
Mottaki was speaking at a news conference with a visiting Yemeni minister broadcast and translated by Iran’s Press TV.
“We have not received any letter in this connection,” Mottaki was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying when asked about a new offer by the six world powers, comprising the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.
The phrase, “let God sort ‘em out”, is comming to mind.
“Oh look, a little bunny rabbit...I will hug him and squeeze him and call him George...”
;-)
“Welcome to the party pal!” (Russia)
Irony still strikes a cord sometimes...
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