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Annan: Iran wants nuclear program talks
By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 20 minutes ago
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants negotiations on Iran's nuclear program but won't halt uranium enrichment ahead of talks, U.N. chief Kofi Annan said Sunday after meeting with the Iranian leader. Annan's two-day visit to Tehran comes after Iran ignored a United Nations deadline to halt uranium enrichment by the end of August, opening the door to possible sanctions.
"On the nuclear issue, the president reaffirmed to me Iran's preparedness and commitment to hold negotiations" with Western powers to find a solution to the impasse over Tehran's nuclear work, Annan said at a joint news conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki.
However, Ahmadinejad "reiterated that he did not accept suspension before negotiations," the U.N. chief said, conveying Iran's rejection of a condition set by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany.
Ahmadinejad did not attend the news conference or give any statements. On Saturday the first day of Annan's visit he reiterated at a rally that Tehran would continue its nuclear activities.
In June, Iran was offered an incentives package to roll back its nuclear program. Tehran's lack of cooperation with U.N. inspectors has raised concerns it is trying to produce nuclear weapons. It says its atomic program is peaceful, aiming to generate electricity.
Iran's slowness in responding to the package prompted the Security Council to issue a resolution July 31 demanding that Tehran halt uranium enrichment by the end of August.
On Sunday, Mottaki said the council issued the resolution "under pressure from the United States and Britain" and described it as a "mistake" and a "black mark against them."
Iran did respond to the incentive package Aug. 22, rejecting the stipulation that it stop enriching uranium before talks begin. The content of its response has not been made public.
Iran appeared more responsive to U.N. concerns regarding Lebanon, where Tehran is a backer of the Hezbollah guerrilla group.
Ahmadinejad "reaffirmed his country's support for the implementation of resolution 1701," Annan said, referring to the resolution that imposed a cease-fire in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and included measures to prevent the rearming of Islamic militia.
The U.N. chief did not disclose specifics of his talks on the topic with the Iranian president. After meeting with Annan on Saturday, Mottaki made a vague promise to support the resolution, but did not directly mention Hezbollah.
Annan also reiterated his displeasure over an exhibit in Tehran of cartoons on the Holocaust. The exhibit is a response to the outrage among Muslims caused by the publication earlier this year of the Danish cartoons of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
Earlier Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry said the country planned to hold a conference this fall questioning evidence of the Holocaust. Ahmadinejad has dismissed the Holocaust as a myth, provoking an international outcry.
Annan's meeting with the Iranian president came on the final day of his two-day visit to Iranian capital on a tour that has included stops in Lebanon, Israel and Syria. He is slated to make stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
September 04, 2006
Annan's Humiliating Adventure In Islamaland
Kofi Annan just got the clearest diplomatic humiliation since perhaps Neville Chamberlain, according to the AP. The UN Secretary-General traveled to Iran to ask Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to please stop issuing provocative Holocaust denials and to suspend uranium enrichment. Ahmadinejad responded with a handshake, a smile, and a newly-scheduled conference of Holocaust deniers:
The U.N. chief got little satisfaction Sunday at the close of his trip to Tehran, snubbed by Iran's leader over international demands to stop enriching uranium and ignored in warnings not to incite hatred by questioning the Holocaust.
In a provocative move on the final day of Kofi Annan's two-day visit, Iran announced it would host a conference to examine what it called exaggerations about the Holocaust, during which more than 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis. ...
"On the nuclear issue, the president reaffirmed to me Iran's preparedness and determination to negotiate" a solution to the nuclear confrontation, Annan said at the news conference.
However, Ahmadinejad "reiterated that he did not accept suspension before negotiations," the U.N. chief said, conveying Iran's rejection of a condition set by the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany.
The Iranians appear to take particular pleasure in the humiliation of Annan. We'd share that pleasure for anything that exposes the uselessness of the corrupt and incompetent Annan, but the Iranian response is unsettling. Annan has made it clear that he doesn't want any confrontation and has spent his life avoiding it, to the world's detriment. One would have expected the Iranians to exploit this, rather than just commit a flat-out humiliation of Annan.
It's one thing to defy the US and the UK, and even the UN Security Council. Making a fool out of a reliably pacifist world leader of Annan's significance is quite another. Either Iran no longer sees the need to appear cooperative, or they see Annan's usefulness as a shill at an end. Given Annan's still-considerable influence among the Third World, I'd have to conclude that Ahmadinejad has something up his sleeve that allows him enough confidence to be openly defiant of all.
Posted by Captain Ed at September 4, 2006 08:55 AM
