Comments on: Rice: What Iran Proposal?

By: MTW

MTW — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 19:51:16 +0000

There seem to be some interest in the Senate foreign relations committee on whether Rice is (obviously) blowing smoke. Sen. Dodd has a letter out to the state department calling her on this BS.

By: hass

hass — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 16:51:17 +0000

Don’t forget Ahamdinejad’s offer in his UN speech to open up Iran’s nuclear program to foreign involvment – repeated here:

Iran proposes creating nuclear energy consortium,
invites foreign states -diplomat.

Interfax Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire,
Feb 7, 2007

ALMATY Feb 7 (Interfax) – Iran is prepared to created
a consortium, with the participation of foreign
countries, for the implementation of its nuclear
program and demonstrate that the program is
exclusively civilian, Iranian Ambassador to Kazakhstan
Romin Mehmonparast said…

By: lucabrazi

lucabrazi — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 16:29:24 +0000

Remember the context. The extent of Iran’s deception on nuclear matters was just coming to light. Iran also began negotiations with the EU3 which Iran has since all but acknowledged were exercises in buying time for progress in their program. What in the proposal is worth putting on the table giving this regime FULL access to Western nuclear, chemical and biological technology? Could it have been followed up in such a way that would’ve kept the EU engaged (instead of just nagging in the background and undercutting US efforts)? Plus, just as important as recognizing Iranian sensitivities, it is important to acknowledge our own: Khobar towers, the Marine barracks, the hostage crisis, etc… There is American blood deliberately on the hands of this clerical clique.
Would it have sent the right message to Iraqis and our erstwhile regional “allies”? Maybe it should’ve been followed up differently, but this is too complex and important a subject to be relegated to a game of gotcha punditry.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:53:22 +0000

Paul,

Even Newsweek has now weighed in on the flap:

“Rice was asked again this week about a dramatic opening for such a negotiation that took place in late April and May of 2003, when Iranian officials, using their regular Swiss intermediary, faxed a two-page proposal for comprehensive talks to the State Department. According to the document, a copy of which was obtained by NEWSWEEK, Tehran plainly laid out the two countries’ “aims” and proposed “steps” to resolve them “in mutual respect.” The document, believed to reflect the views of Iran’s president at the time, the moderate Mohammad Khatami, proposes negotiations on most of the main outstanding issues of interest to Washington—including Iran’s nuclear program, its support for Hizbullah and Hamas and terrorism in general, and stabilizing Iraq.”

See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17050142/site/newsweek/page/2/

I’m waiting for someone to call her out on this…

By: yale

yale — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 18:43:13 +0000

Reading that 2003 Iranian proposal —- wow

If two parties can’t sit together and at least talk based upon the points in that doc, then what can be a basis for discussion?

Looks like the US missed an historical opportunity.