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Tehran fuel deal "good start" for building confidence: US expert

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Jul 3, IRNA -- The Executive Director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association Daryl Kimball said that Tehran Declaration on fuel swap was a "good start for building confidence" between Iran and the West.

Talking to IRNA in Berlin, Kimball said, " I think the fuel swap is a good starting point for building confidence and success in the intentions and the follow-through of each side. I think we need to pursue that before the option is lost."

He warned that dragging on the Iranian nuclear dispute would make it even more difficult to restore trust between Tehran and the West.

"I think the longer the crisis goes on, the more difficult it is gonna be to build trust. That's why we are at a critical moment."

Kimball urged both sides to find a compromise in moving forward with the diplomatic process over Iran's nuclear program.

"All sides need to find and pursue creative ways to get the diplomatic process started. Each side says they are interested but each side has not found yet ways to actually put forward practical proposals," the disarmament expert said.

Asked about Iran's deep mistrust of the West in the nuclear impasse, Kimball replied, "What the West has to do, it's important like the fuel swap deal to be pursued and implemented in order to start building confidence in small ways over time."

"I think it's important also for the West to clarify what an appropriate resolution to this crisis is. Because part of what Iranian leaders are struggling with, is the question what do we have to do in order to resolve this crisis, to remove the sanctions, to normalize relations with the West ...," he added.

Kimball pointed out that the so-called '5+1'group (Russia, the US, China, France, Britain and Germany) had sent mixed signals about what would eventually satisfy them about Iran's peaceful nuclear intentions.

He went on to say that the West needed to do "a better job of clarifying what is it that Iran must do in order to address the concerns of the P5 plus 1 group."

Kimball said he thought there were "some tensions with the 'P5 plus 1' group about what the appropriate outcome of diplomatic discussions ought to be."

The American scholar urged Iran to return to the negotiation table, saying it would be "helpful."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced earlier his country would be ready to resume nuclear talks in late August.

OT**1416

End News / IRNA / News Code 1209669