• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

EU renews offer of carrots to Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Brussels, Nov 5, IRNA -- A few hours before European Union and Iranian
diplomats begin a new round of talks in Paris on Iran`s nuclear 
programme, the 25-member European bloc renewed its offer of carrots to
the Islamic Republic. 
"We expect the reply from the Iranian government on Friday. Their 
reaction to the proposals which were put forward on behalf of the EU 
by three member states the so-called EU3 "(Germany, France and the 
UK), Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot told a press conference in 
Brussels late Thursday night. 
Earlier EU foreign ministers had discussed relations with Iran 
over dinner, said Bot whose country holds the current EU Presidency. 
He said the EU proposals contains a package. "We would like to 
call that carrots in our jargon... 
The most important carrot is resumption of trade and cooperation 
agreement talks, but in general terms improvement of relations between
EU and Iran and the continued dialogue and there are other 
enticements, carrots,`` Bot said. 
EU leaders Thursday evening began a 2-day summit in Brussels. The 
foreign ministers met separately. 
Bot said the EU expects Iran to comply "with a full and sustained 
suspension of all enrichment and processing activities." 
"So we eagerly await their reaction on Friday because we want the 
dialogue to be successfully pursued.`` 
"That is important because it does not concern solely the area of 
uranium enrichment but we also talk with the Iranians on issues like 
fighting terrorism, peace and human rights and it would only be 
possible to address those issues if we have an open and constructive 
dialogue in place,`` he said. 
Bot, however, said there is also a stick attached with the package
of carrots. 
"If Iranian authorities show they are not prepared to rally to 
these suggestions following the report from the IAEA which we have to 
wait for because we expect that this may well indicate that they are 
not sticking by earlier promises and that the enrichment activities go
somewhat further than energy purposes, from that may flow a decision 
to go the UN Security Council". 
"That`s the stick,`` Bot noted adding that "we don`t have to use 
the stick and these carrots which may be suitably hidden for the time 
being may be drawn above ground if progress is made.`` 
"It is firmly our conviction to encourage Iran to proceed along 
the path recently indicated suspending enrichment activities also 
because we firmly believe that the time frame, the time window which 
we have in our opportunity at our disposal should be profitably 
used,`` he added. 
The IAEA Board of Governors is expected to discuss the UN nuclear 
watchdog`s report on Iran on 25 November. 
NK/1771