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Powers Consider Iran Nuclear
Proposal
GEORGE JAHN
AP
Tuesday April 23, 2007
ANKARA, Turkey -- The United States and other world powers may
be ready to allow Iran to keep some of its uranium enrichment program
intact instead of demanding its complete dismantling, foreign government
officials said Tuesday.
Officials said some willingness to compromise might advance talks
Wednesday in the Turkish capital between top Iranian envoy Ali Larijani
and Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief.
Recognizing that Iran would never accept a complete freeze, the
powers are considering "a new definition of enrichment,"
one diplomat said. Under the proposal, Iran would could keep some
of its program intact without actually producing enriched uranium.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack denied that the United
States was "considering any proposals that would allow the
Iranians to retain any enrichment-related activities."
But another U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity suggested
there was potentially more flexibility in Washington's position
than previously.
"We purposely left open the possibility that direct talks
could happen by being a little less committed to the requirements
to have a meeting," said the official. He alluded to previous
demands of an all-encompassing freeze on all enrichment related
activities.
Iran is running more than 1,300 centrifuge machines at its underground
facility at Natanz. Its ultimate goal is to run 50,000 centrifuges
a year, enough to churn out material for a network of nuclear power
generators _ or a full-scale nuclear weapons program.
The United States might accept a version of "cold standby"
_ allowing a set number of centrifuges to remain standing and assembled
in series but not running, a diplomat said. Iran, he said, would
likely push for keeping the machines operating, if not producing
enriched uranium.
The six powers _ United States, Russia, China, Britain, France
and Germany _ also want to reduce assembled and hooked-up centrifuges
to less than 1,000.
A European official said hopes were that both sides could agree
on at least "a different definition of suspension that we can
work with."
Like other officials _ some of them diplomats, others based in
their capitals _ the two spoke to The Associated Press on condition
of anonymity because they were discussing confidential information.
With agreement to strive for a new definition of enrichment, Larijani
and Solana may be able to sidestep a deadlock that for months has
thwarted the resumption of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program,
said the officials, who were familiar with the discussions with
Iran or specialized in non-proliferation issues.
Iran's defiance of a U.N. Security Council demand to suspend all
activities linked to enrichment _ a possible pathway to nuclear
arms _ has led to two sets of sanctions against the country, the
latest last month.
Iran argues the sanctions are illegal, noting it has the right
to enrich uranium to generate nuclear power under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty. Iranian officials say nuclear power is the only purpose
of their program, rejecting suspicions that they ultimately want
weapons-grade uranium for the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
But the United States and others say past suspicious nuclear activities,
including a program Iran kept secret for nearly two decades, set
the country apart from others that have endorsed the treaty.
The last face-to-face talks between Solana and Larijani were more
than six months ago, and foundered over the same issue. Solana,
representing the six powers, demanded that Iran dismantle not only
fledging enrichment efforts but all linked aspects, including assembling
centrifuges for enrichment and facilities to house such plants.
Iran refused.
Negotiations between Iran and the three European nations broke
down last year when the Iranian government refused to suspend enrichement
in exchange for a package of economic and political inducements,
including help in developing a peaceful nuclear program.
One of the diplomats said recognition by the United States and
its allies that Iran would never accept their earlier demand of
a full freeze dictated a decision to contemplate "a new definition
of enrichment" that would allow Tehran to keep some of its
program intact without actually turning out enriched material.
An agreement was unlikely be emerge from Wednesday's talks. Solana
would have to report back to the six capitals he is representing,
while Larijani would need to have any deal cleared with the Iranian
government.
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