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US nuke technology for Iran?
06/06/2006 17:11 - (SA)
Vienna - In a major concession, the United States is prepared to provide Iran with some nuclear technology if it stops enriching uranium, diplomats said on Tuesday.
The offer was part of a package of incentives presented to Tehran on Tuesday by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, the diplomats, who were familiar with the proposals, told The Associated Press. They demanded anonymity in exchange for discussing details of the offer, agreed on last week by six world powers in a bid to resolve the nuclear stand-off with Iran.
The incentives - handed to senior Iranian representatives in Tehran - also include European offers of help in building nuclear reactors for a peaceful energy programme, the diplomats said. A European offer of light water reactors meant for civilian nuclear energy purposes was revealed last month.
The diplomats said Solana withheld the other part of the package - a series of measures meant to penalise Tehran if it did not relinquish enrichment.
Solana "carried a message" about potential penalties, but withheld the specific threats - including the possibility of UN sanctions - so as not to jeopardise the "positive" atmosphere, said one of the diplomats.
Diplomats already revealed on Monday that the US had sweetened what had initially been a European offer by agreeing to provide Boeing aircraft parts for Iran's aging civilian fleet. Just days before, Washington broke with decades of official policy of no high-level diplomatic contacts with Tehran, announcing it was ready to join in multi-nation talks with the Islamic republic over its nuclear programme.
The offer is being sponsored by the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
- AP
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