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Iran Press: US "Pressure" Causes Europe's "Political Weakness" on Nuclear Issue

Posted on: Wednesday, 10 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

Text of commentary by IRIB's foreign department from the "Viewpoint" column entitled "Europe's proposal package lacks legal grounds" by Iranian newspaper Resalat on 9 August

The European trio's package of incentives to Iran and the Islamic Republic's rejection of the package has set off widespread repercussions across the world.

In an interview with Islamic Republic television on Iran's reaction to the European package of incentives, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi noted, "The package does not cover the most important issues that Iran had called for consideration as its legitimate rights, which is why Tehran dismissed it altogether." The right to uranium enrichment and a complete nuclear fuel cycle are among the points that Iran has constantly stressed. These legitimate rights were clearly stressed by Seyyed Mohammad Khatami in his final press conference as president and by the new Iranian president, Dr Ahmadinezhad on various occasions.

Political experts believe that the European Union's proposal to Iran, which was made after months of negotiations, lacks legal grounds and that European governments in fact also lack independence in decision-making; therefore, they are unable to make reasonable proposals to Iran, indicating Europe's political weakness. This weakness is so obvious and questionable that the American Washington Post newspaper wrote that America pressured Europe into holding a private meeting with an American representative where America's unreasonable demands were imposed on the European team and included in the package, while one of the key points in the Iran-EU3 nuclear talks was official recognition of Iran's legitimate right to uranium enrichment and a complete nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with the NPT.

Such conduct indicates that America's political spitefulness and its dual behaviour concerning the Iranian nuclear case is the main problem, and that the issue cannot be resolved while these contradictions and dual behaviours continue.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kharrazi has said that dismissal of the European package of incentives and resuming activities at the Esfahan and Natanz nuclear facilities does not reflect Iran's desire to discontinue talks with Europe, but continuing talks does depend on a realistic and reasonable attitude from Europe, and observance of Iran's legitimate nuclear rights.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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