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Straw warns against interference in Iran
Al-Guardian - watch the spin!
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, today gave Washington's hawks notice that Britain would not back interference in Iran, but also urged the Iranian government to let weapons inspectors investigate suspicions that it is developing nuclear weapons. Mr Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government's approach to Iran was different from the US administration in that "it is one of constructive and conditional engagement with the government of Iran". Mr Straw's comments come after the US president, George Bush, praised recent anti-government demonstrations in Iran's capital Tehran. However, Mr Straw also said that EU ministers were prepared to "park" negotiations on a trade agreement with Iran if there was insufficient progress on inspections. Iran has recently refused to sign up to a tougher inspection regime by the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA).
See? We're not that different! We're likely to "park" a JDAM on that frigging reactor
"On this issue of the Iranians' possible nuclear systems, what we have said to the Iranians is 'Look, if it is correct that you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear by the kind of enhanced inspections which now the whole world wishes you to undertake,' he said. "Iran wants a trade and cooperation agreement which would give much better trade arrangements between Iran and the EU. We have linked that very closely to progress on human rights and, for example, to progress on the kind of weapons inspections which they are going to allow under the International Atomic Energy Authority. We had an interim review of progress. It has not been satisfactory. We will look again following negotiations with Iran in the autumn to see how far they have got. It is inevitable from Iran's point of view that, if they are not making progress on each of these tracks, on human rights and cooperation with the IAEA as well as progress on the trade negotiations, then it is highly probable that European ministers will decide to have to park the negotiations on the trade and cooperation agreement."
"Human rights" are incompatible with divine-right monarchies — and monarchies-in-all-but-name. The basis of the one denies the other.
Mr Straw also expressed optimism about the prospects of reform in Iran. "Iran is a country undergoing major demographic transition, because so many of their population, 70% at the latest estimate, is under 30, and that in itself is going to push Iran towards the process of reform and greater liberalisation." But he stressed that the impetus for reform had to come from within the country. "Given the long history of Iran, they have to be allowed to sort out their opposition internally, and the thing that would most derail the process towards the establishment of a better democracy in Iran would be suggestions that the opposition there was being orchestrated from the outside, which happily so far it has not been."
Now, how is that so different from the U.S. position? "Nice job", Guardian
Posted by: Frank G 2003-06-17
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=15554