12 July 2006
Rice Disappointed at Iran's Inaction on Nuclear Proposal
Foreign ministers of six nations meet to discuss path forward with Iran
Washington – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed disappointment July 12 at Iran’s failure to respond to a package of incentives aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities in exchange for improved economic ties with the international community and technical assistance in its energy sector.
The six nations that drew up the proposal – China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and the United States – told Iran they wanted a response before the July 15-17 summit of the Group of Eight (G8) nations in Russia, but Iran has said that it needs more time to consider the offer, which it received June 6.
Speaking to reporters en route to Paris, where she is meeting with the foreign ministers of the other five countries behind the proposal, Rice called Iran’s response “disappointing and incomplete.”
The proposal outlined a comprehensive package of incentives for Iran to abandon its ambitions of establishing large-scale uranium enrichment but also threatened further action in the U.N. Security Council if Iran chooses to reject negotiations. (See related article.)
Rice said that the foreign ministers would make a decision during their meeting in Paris about which path the Iranians have chosen.
“What we have been able to do is to test whether the Iranians simply wanted a good path for negotiation or whether they're determined to defy the international community and move forward with a program that the [International Atomic Energy Agency] Board of Governors and the international community find unacceptable,” she said. “Apparently, and I just want to say apparently, they have decided that they want to move ahead with a program that is unacceptable to the international community. That then means that we would be on the path of the Security Council.”
The Security Council already has issued a presidential statement in March calling on Iran to comply with the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which include the suspension of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and the opening of all Iranian nuclear facilities for IAEA inspection. (See related article.)
Iran claims that its uranium enrichment activities are limited to developing civilian nuclear power capabilities. However, these activities have raised international concerns as the technology used to enrich uranium for reactor fuel can also be used to produce weapons-grade fissile material.
Rice said the proposal, which provides for international assistance in developing Iran’s nuclear power sector, undermines Iran’s claims that the international community is trying to deprive it of nuclear power capabilities.
“I think this proposal knocks down any notion that Iran did not have a reasonable alternative to continuing its current program in contravention of the international consensus and the Board of Governors resolution and the presidential statement in the Security Council,” she said.
The secretary said the Security Council would take time to develop a set of responses “that make clear to the Iranians what they are facing.” She said the door for negotiations would remain open “because negotiation is still the best path.”
Further action in the Security Council could consist of any number of punitive measures including economic sanctions, political sanctions, financial restrictions or travel restrictions.
The transcript of the secretary’s remarks is available on the State Department Web site.
For additional information, see Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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