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July 20, 2008
US Urges Iran to
Respond to Incentives Offer
Washington
The US Saturday urged Tehran to respond soon to a package of
incentives offered by world powers in exchange for an Iranian pledge
to suspend uranium enrichment.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the US would
support additional UN Security Council sanctions if Iran failed to
accept the offer.
McCormack's comments came after a meeting Saturday with Iran led by
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Geneva in the ongoing talks
that were attended for the first time by the US.
"Mr Solana did not get a straight 'yes' or 'no' answer," McCormack
said. "Mr Solana stressed that Iran needs to give a clear answer
within two weeks."
Solana headed the delegation representing the five permanent members
of the Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US
- plus Germany.
Seeking to break the diplomatic stalemate over Iran's nuclear
activities, the US broke with past policy and sent a senior envoy,
Under Secretary of State William Burns, to the talks to demonstrate
Washington was committed to a diplomatic solution.
Iran was expected to respond to the offer in Geneva but did not.
Tehran also reiterated that it will not halt uranium enrichment, a
process that could be used to develop nuclear weapons. Iran say it
is only for energy reactor fuel but the US and its European partners
remain suspicious of Tehran's true intentions.
The package offers better diplomatic and economic relations with
Iran provided the Islamic state suspends uranium enrichment.
McCormack said the US role in the meeting "strengthened the
position" of the six countries and their "commitment to pursue
further disincentives should Iran not choose the path of
cooperation" that include sanctions.
"We hope the Iranian people understand that their leaders need to
make a choice between cooperation, which would bring benefits to
all, and confrontation, which can only led to further isolation,"
McCormack said.
Burns' participation marked the highest level diplomatic exchange
between the countries since the 1979 Islamic revolution and the
subsequent storming of the US embassy in Tehran. Burns merely
reiterated the US position, did not negotiate with the Iranians or
hold one-on-one meetings with the Iranian nuclear negotiator, Saeed
Jalili.
DPA
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July 20, 2008
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