EU offers Iran incentives to halt nuclear program (This Really Worked With North Korea!)
iht.com ^ | 11/6/04 | By Elaine Sciolino
 

In an effort to stop Iran from producing a nuclear bomb, the 25 leaders of the European Union on Friday offered the country possible economic and political incentives if it suspends its production of enriched uranium.

As negotiations got under way, the Iranians were willing to consider a temporary suspension of perhaps six months in order to buy time for a broader agreement and avoid the threat of sanctions, what one European official calls "suspension minus."

The goal of the Europeans, by contrast, has been to push Iran to agree to indefinitely suspend its uranium enrichment in exchange for the promise of economic and political rewards.

The first assumption is that the Europeans seem willing to bend to Iran by offering concessions and so avoid a confrontation on Nov. 25 when the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, meets in Vienna.

The second assumption is that the international community will not have the political will to impose sanctions on Iran, particularly economic sanctions at a time when oil prices are so high.

The Europeans, who want to avoid sanctions, nevertheless admit that Iran has reneged on a much-heralded agreement reached with France, Germany and Britain in October 2003 to suspend uranium enrichment and to accept stricter inspections of its nuclear sites.

To avoid a diplomatic showdown, the Europeans last month proposed a package of economic incentives for Iran including access to imported nuclear fuel for its reactors, help with regional security concerns and increased trade, including access to spare parts for Iran's aging airline industry.

The communiqué also pledged to press for long-term "political, economic and technological" cooperation and the resumption of negotiations on a trade agreement between Iran and the European Union.
 

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