Iran, EU Envoys Approach “Unified View” on Nuclear Crisis

EU and Iranian diplomats emerged today from two days of nuclear talks in Turkey expressing optimism and agreeing to meet again in two weeks, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, April 25).

“In some areas we are approaching a united view,” said Iranian delegation leader Ali Larijani, who said that he and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana had discussed some “new ideas” on how to break the deadlock preventing formal negotiations to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis.

“I can’t give exact details because these ideas need more time to be developed,” he told CNN-Turk television.  “But I can call them a very positive, concrete first step.”

The two men met for the first time since September, after which the U.N. Security Council twice imposed economic sanctions against Iran for its refusal to curb its uranium enrichment program and other nuclear activities.

At this session, the diplomats discussed the possibility of a “double time-out” during which Iran would freeze its nuclear program and Security Council leaders would not pursue additional sanctions, AP reported.

The proposal is based on a similar proposals made by Swiss officials (see GSN, March 22) and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (see GSN, Jan. 30).

Iran has consistently refused to shut down its enrichment facilities, but this week’s talks included discussion of how to define such a freeze, according to an official based in a European capital.

That definition is “the key issue” that could open the door to resuming negotiations for a long-term resolution to the crisis, the official said. (George Jahn, Associated Press/The Union-Tribune, April 26).

One idea would be to allow Iran to build and operate the centrifuges as long as it does not inject uranium gas into them, said a diplomat who monitors the issue (Michael Adler, Agence France-Presse/Brisbane Times, April 26).

While he targeted Larijani this week, Solana would also need to persuade Western powers to agree to adjust the freeze definition.  France, the United Kingdom and the United States have all publicly opposed such a strategy (Jahn, Associated Press).

Only Iran was interested in modifying the definition, one European diplomat told Reuters.

“The Security Council resolution has said Iran needs to suspend enrichment activities,” added a British Foreign Office spokesman.  “Solana won’t be making any fresh offers” (Heinrich/Elci, Reuters, April 26).

Substance aside, yesterday’s meeting was significant for simply taking place, Solana said.

“The fact that we are together again is itself a very important development,” he said (Jahn, Associated Press).

He and Larijani met in four separate rounds of talks over the two days, including a late-night session yesterday, according to Iran’s official news agency (IRNA, April 26).

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