EU bids again to broker Iran deal

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 28/04/05

The EU and Iran will go back to the negotiating table this Friday (29 April) in a fresh attempt to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear enrichment programme.

Following the EU's recent rejection of an Iranian offer to run a scaled-down enrichment programme, the two sides will try to find new ways to push the talks forward.

Iran had suggested a scaled down system of around 3,000 enrichment centrifuges, with comprehensive access for international observers.

But after two days of technical talks last week in Geneva, officials from the EU3 of France, Germany and the UK expressed concerns that the proposal did not meet their demands for "objective guarantees" that the nuclear programme was not for military purposes.

Diplomats on Wednesday (27 April) said it was unclear if Iran would table a revised proposal during Friday's meeting in London.

"It is hard to say what the Iranians will do, it is entirely conceivable that they will not really say anything new, it is also conceivable that they will present modifications something fresh," said one diplomat.

"We are not sure that they are really politically involved because of the elections in June," said another.

Talks have so far been deadlocked, with Iran insisting its suspension of uranium enrichment is only temporary and the EU stating that the only sufficient guarantee was a permanent cessation of enrichment activities.

But some say the Iranian offer could hold some elements of an agreement.

Meanwhile diplomats this week sought to dismiss reports that Paris, and in particular French President Jacques Chirac, was willing to take a softer line on the Iranian enrichment programme.

"We are tough on our issues, we know the EU's line and we know the US line," said one French diplomat.

"There is no daylight between the EU countries. There is no indication from those that are running this in the French foreign ministry that the French are going soft on this and that is certainly what we saw in Geneva," added a UK official.

Diplomats also insisted that talks would continue despite statements from the Iranian and US governments that indicate a growing sense that time is running out for a deal.

"Negotiations are very much alive," said one EU3 diplomat, who described an Iranian decision to pull out of talks at this stage as "nigh impossible".

In a recent interview US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice indicated that the US would assess the progress of talks this summer, hinting at taking the issue to the United Nations Security Council where Iran could face sanctions.

But with Iranian presidential elections fast approaching the EU appears unlikely to push to secure a deal with this administration.

President Mohammad Khatami will step down following elections on 17 June.

Preview of the resumption of talks between the EU, represented by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, and Iran, in a fresh attempt to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear enrichment programme, 29 April 2005. Following the EU's recent rejection of an Iranian offer to run a scaled-down enrichment programme, the two sides intended to find new ways to advance the negotiations.

EEAS: Countries: Iran http://www.eeas.europa.eu/iran/index_en.htm

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