The Hindu : International : Iran "positive" on nuclear offer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 07, 2006

International

International

Iran "positive" on nuclear offer

Atul Aneja

Teheran for dialogue on "some ambiguities" in the package

DUBAI: Amid expressions of cautious optimism, European Union (E.U.) foreign policy chief Javier Solana has presented Iran with a set of incentives that it could avail itself in case it suspended its uranium enrichment programme.

Details of the package compiled by the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany have not been made public.

Proposal contents

After concluding talks with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Mr. Solana said the press and the public would have to wait a few days before the contents of the proposals were revealed.

He said he was hopeful that the package would evoke a positive response from Iran. "We have submitted a package of proposals by the E.U. countries, the U.S., China and Russia to the Islamic Republic of Iran and we hope to receive a positive response from Iran."

Iran's Fars news agency quoted Mr. Solana as saying it was his hope that the proposals that he had brought with could lead to a permanent agreement with Iran.

Soon after his arrival on Monday evening, Mr. Solana said the group of six nations that he was representing wanted to start with Iran "new relations based on mutual respect and confidence.

"We believe that proposals that we plan to present to Iran allow us to enter talks within an atmosphere of mutual respect and confidence."

"Positive attributes"

Head of Iran's supreme national security council Ali Larijani, whom Mr. Solana met earlier on Tuesday, also described the proposals as having positive attributes.

However, more discussions were required as the proposals included "some ambiguities," he said.

Mr. Larijani praised the Europeans for choosing dialogue with Iran as the mechanism for resolving differences.

"This is exactly the same thing that Iran has frequently stressed since the beginning of the issue." His remarks coincided with Mr. Solana's observation that further discussion with Mr. Larijani on the offer would be required.

There has been considerable speculation about the contents of the package.

The AFP news agency has reported that based on an earlier draft, the proposals include transfer of light water reactors along with an assured fuel supply.

Iran would be allowed to participate in "an international fuel cycle centre in Russia" to enrich uranium.

Besides, "dual-use technology which has peaceful but also military applications" would be made available to Iran.

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