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US decides to join EU-proposed incentives for Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Washington, March 12, Kyodo/OANA/IRNA -- The United States said it will join the European Union in offering economic incentives to Iran to support the ongoing European negotiations to end Tehran's nuclear weapons program, reversing its hard-line stance to underline its recent commitment to a diplomatic solution.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said President George W. Bush 'has decided that the United States will drop its objection to Iran's application to the World Trade Organization and will consider, on a case-by-case basis, the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft, in particular from the EU to Iran'.

"The Europeans have been very clear with the Iranians that there will have to be certain objective guarantees that Iran is not trying to use a civilian nuclear program to provide cover for a weapons program," she said.

Given Washington's shift to a flexible policy, the attention now moves to how the European side will respond to the unchanged US stance of seeking to refer the issue to the UN Security Council if the negotiations fail to produce results even with the economic incentives.

"Today's announcement demonstrates that we are prepared to take a practical step to support European efforts," Rice said in a statement.

"We share the desire of European governments to secure Iran's adherence to its obligations through peaceful and diplomatic means." "The spotlight must remain on Iran, and on Iran's obligation to live up to its international commitments," she said.

"We also share the European governments' concerns about Iran's record of human rights and democracy and its support for terrorism," Rice said. "At this moment of historic opportunity, as the United States and its allies work together to support progress between the Israelis and Palestinians, Iran must cease its support for those groups who use violence to oppose Middle East peace."
Asked how the decision will change the US policy on the stalled six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "They are two different sets of negotiations and discussions, two different situations, and we deal with each of them individually."
Boucher noted that the other parties to the six-way talks -- China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States -- have told North Korea during the past three rounds that Pyongyang will get economic and other benefits if it gives up its nuclear programs.

"Many members ... have made clear there are things that will start to flow for the North Koreans if they agreed to abandon their nuclear programs and stop nuclear weapons development," Boucher told reporters.

The six-party talks stalled after the third round last June. The North declared Feb. 10 that it possesses nuclear weapons and is pulling out of the talks indefinitely.

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