Iran: before discussing nuclear matters, Europe must recognise our rights
The comment by a member of the preeminent "Assembly of Experts" was broadcast on radio and quoted by the official news agency. Mottaki said Teheran's response to the "package" will not be given "sooner than April". G8 ministers yesterday asked for an answer "by 5 July".
Teheran (AsiaNews) If the Europeans really want to resolve this issue through talks, "then first they should recognise our nuclear rights. Then controls, supervision and guarantees can be discussed." The first Iranian response to the yesterday's G8 statement appeared to be tough. The G8 yesterday asked Teheran for a "clear and concrete response" by 5 July to the "package" of incentives offered by the "5+1" the five members of the Security Council plus Germany to give up its nuclear programme. 5 July is the date of a planned meeting between Javier Solana, a high-ranking European Union official, and Ali Larijani, the Iranian nuclear negotiator.
"Iran will certainly not discuss its obvious right to nuclear technology," Ahmad Khatami said during Friday Prayers in Teheran, broadcast live on state radio. Khatami is a member of the preeminent "Assembly of Experts", a body that selects, supervises, counsels and theoretically could even depose Iran's Supreme Guide. "If the Europeans really want to resolve this issue through talks, first they should recognise our nuclear rights."
Khatami also said Iran "has nothing to do" with the United States with regard to the Iranian nuclear programme. He continued: "Principally, our officials will never hold talks with Americans," he said. These last words were quoted today by the official news agency IRNA.
Yesterday, the same source reported a comment from the Supreme Guide, Ayatollah Khamenei, who told Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade: "Negotiating with America does not have any benefit for us and we do not need such negotiations."
So far, the Iranian authorities have not given a deadline for their response to European proposals about Iranian nuclear ambitions. Yesterday, however, the Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, told a press conference at the UN reported by IRNA that his country's reply would not be forthcoming "before August". He added: "I know Iran will offer its response in August but I cannot specify the date. It is necessary to say that response to the package in August would be possible if questions and ambiguities are cleared."
The diplomacy heads of the "5+1" are set to meet again on 12 July to assess Iran's response to the "package". From 15 to 17 July, the annual meeting of G8 leaders will be held.
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11/07/2007
