White House dismisses calls for direct Iran talks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Sunday dismissed calls for direct talks with Iran to resolve the stand-off over its nuclear program, saying the United Nations was the best forum for those discussions.
“We think the framework we have is even better, we have a number of countries that are engaged with Iran on this issue, we are supportive of those discussions,” White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley told CNN.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the United States on Friday to enter into direct talks with Tehran, as have others.
But Hadley said the United Nations was the preferred forum for the talks.
“The forum has now shifted to a discussion in the U.N. Security Council where the international community as a whole, of which the United States is a part, can make clear to Iran what it needs to do,” he told CNN’s “Late Edition. “We think that’s the right forum at this time for this issue.”
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who sent an 18-page letter to President George W. Bush last week, said over the weekend that he was ready to talk with any country except Israel and not under threat of force.
Bush dismissed the letter, saying it did not addressing the issue of when Iran would abandon its nuclear program, which the West suspects is a cover for building weapons.
Iran says the program is merely for peaceful power generation.
Britain, France and Germany, backed by the United States, Russia and China, are to unveil a package of inducements and penalties for Iran depending on whether it cooperates or resists Western calls that it halt uranium enrichment.
“We are looking at the kinds of sanctions that might be applied if it does not make the right choice. We’re also looking at the kinds of benefits that might be applied if Iran does make the right choice,” Hadley said.
“There have been a lot of opportunities for Iran to make the right choice, which is respond to the will of the international community and give assurances, by getting out of the enrichment business, that it’s not pursuing a nuclear bomb,” he said..
Wild Thing’s comment…….
I have had it with this freak Ahmadinejad. He sends a long letter, beyond long ….18 pagers, to Bush that basically amounted to a declaration of war.
So far we have had tons of threats made by various leaders in Iran. Besides their ego’s needing to have a continuous 15 minutes of fame with their threat making, lies in speeches etc. Ahmadinejad thinks he can boss Bush and the USA around. I am thrilled Bush said NO to the talks right now. Iran should kiss our ass not the other way around.
All Iran wants is peace, it is Bush who is the true war monger. Iran’s nuclear program is for peace and development unlike America’s whose aim is to threaten and bully.
I have to thank you and you know why????
Because you have proved to the world there are NO moderate Muslims.None!
I went to your blog your name links to and read this……actually your entire post is disgusting to me!!!!
http://muslimunity.blogspot.com/2006/05/world-is-filled-with-wonderful-people.html
“Only Osama and his set of gangs are shown when they kidnap innocent journalists, however we do not get to see Muslims who are doing good, people who are against all this. People like us. Because we are not interesting enough, or maybe these news channels have an agenda against us. I don’t know. However when American troops abuse innocent people and kill children and women, we get to see that, but we also get to see the humane sides of them, it is not one sided as our case. The fact is that the world is filled with wonderful people, but only the most horrible mostly make it on news.
That’s why people end up thinking totally negative things about Islam and Iran.”
Thanks WT, what a way to say ‘We want peace”.
Muslim Unity:
I visited your blog, too, but I’m less interested in your personal warmth and love of goodness than I am in your political views.
How do you explain Ahmadinejad’s comments about Israel? Does Israel have a right to exist? What about the Right to Return? Do you believe in Shari’a for non-Muslims. How will you bring “peace to Palestine”? How do you explain the the slaughter of Sunnis by Shi’a, and Shi’a by Sunni? I have hundreds of other questions.
You need to explain more things than we do, MU. The great question of our time about Islam is not whether it has a set ideas about good and evil, but whether it can co-exist with modernity and other religions. Until you engage in this debate, we’ll assume the worst.
Iran only wants peace…what a joke.
Did you know Peace is one of the biggest sucker words in the bible?
1Thessalonians 5:3 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
So, when people start using peace and Iran or peace and Islam in the same sentence, I’m quickly reminded of the above bible verse.