Iran: Stick your carrots
rianovosti: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday Iran would not accept any offer from European countries, if it included a demand to halt nuclear work.
Three European states (Great Britain, France and Germany) are drafting political, economic and security incentives for Iran in return for its consent to halt uranium enrichment work.
"Any proposal that obliges us to stop peaceful (nuclear) activities would not have value and would not be valid," Ahmadinejad said.
The United States and other Western nations accuse Iran of carrying out its nuclear program as a cover for the production of weapons but Iran insists its program is meant for peaceful purposes.
The U.S., France and Britain are pressing for a new militarily enforceable UN Security Council resolution to get Iran to abandon its controversial nuclear program. Russia and China say the issue should be resolved through diplomacy.
Ahmadinejad also said "when we are not present (in the decision-making) process, it will be invalid for us." Link
db: The "carrot and stick" metaphor was never going to play very well. Strangely, Iran doesn't feel that the role of 'donkey' accurately represents its place in the world. It does not appear that all the carrots on the face of the planet [and beneath] will be sufficient for Iran to give up its legal right to enrich uranium - on the basis that 'the world' [US, clients] 'suspects' it has a military program.
It's time the US engaged with Iran in direct talks - but that would imply that they genuinely seek a diplomatic solution - which is unlikely.
Three European states (Great Britain, France and Germany) are drafting political, economic and security incentives for Iran in return for its consent to halt uranium enrichment work.
"Any proposal that obliges us to stop peaceful (nuclear) activities would not have value and would not be valid," Ahmadinejad said.
The United States and other Western nations accuse Iran of carrying out its nuclear program as a cover for the production of weapons but Iran insists its program is meant for peaceful purposes.
The U.S., France and Britain are pressing for a new militarily enforceable UN Security Council resolution to get Iran to abandon its controversial nuclear program. Russia and China say the issue should be resolved through diplomacy.
Ahmadinejad also said "when we are not present (in the decision-making) process, it will be invalid for us." Link
db: The "carrot and stick" metaphor was never going to play very well. Strangely, Iran doesn't feel that the role of 'donkey' accurately represents its place in the world. It does not appear that all the carrots on the face of the planet [and beneath] will be sufficient for Iran to give up its legal right to enrich uranium - on the basis that 'the world' [US, clients] 'suspects' it has a military program.
It's time the US engaged with Iran in direct talks - but that would imply that they genuinely seek a diplomatic solution - which is unlikely.
posted by exoplanet at 1:34 PM
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