Iran nuclear program
The EU has spoken - Iran must dismantle their nuclear program.
Reuters has the story:
Iran Must Dismantle Nuke Enrichment Program-EU
bq. France, Britain and Germany have told Iran they will not settle for anything less than an end to sensitive nuclear processes key to the production of atomic bombs, according to a confidential EU document.
bq. Iran has temporarily frozen its enrichment program, a process of purifying uranium for use as fuel in nuclear power plants or weapons, but insists that atomic fuel production is a sovereign right it will never abandon.
bq. The document, which summarizes this month's talks between the European Union's "big three" -- the EU3 -- and Iran, said Tehran would only allow increased inspections by the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and "certain restrictions on the level and extent of the uranium enrichment program."
bq. "EU3/EU made clear that the outlined approach was unacceptable and that Iran missed the point with this," said the summary, seen in full by Reuters. "Iran has to recognize that the fuel cycle program is the core of the problem."
bq. "Cessation (and) dismantlement of the sensitive part of its nuclear program includes the fuel cycle," it said.
Well, they are saying the right things - but will Iran follow through. Let's look at the historical record:
bq. The EU is using the talks to try to persuade Tehran to permanently give up sensitive nuclear processes in exchange for political and economic incentives.
bq. The EU initiative began in October 2003, when Tehran first promised to freeze its uranium enrichment program. But this deal fell apart last year when Iran continued to produce parts for centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium by spinning at supersonic speeds.
Didn't back in 2003, probably will not now. Time to get some teeth EU(nuch)...
Posted by DaveH at January 26, 2005 8:23 PM