Germany urges US to hold talks with Iran

Germany urges US to hold talks with Iran

By Guy Dinmore, Hubert Wetzel and Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington
Published: April 4 2006 19:26 | Last updated: April 4 2006 19:26


Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, has urged the Bush administration to hold direct talks with Iran over its nuclear programme.

Mr Steinmeier said on Tuesday he had made the proposal, which he said had UK support, to Stephen Hadley, US national security adviser, in Washington on Monday.

The Bush administration quickly shot down a similar suggestion floated by a UK official last month. Mr Steinmeier admitted he saw no signs that the US would enter into such talks, although Washington has agreed to meet Iranian officials to discuss the security situation in Iraq.

Germany’s backing for the UK suggestion was evidence, analysts said, that the European powers are not hopeful that the nuclear crisis will be resolved through the action being taken in the UN Security Council.

Diplomats are sceptical that the US and its European allies will persuade Russia and China to support a legally binding “chapter seven” resolution if Iran does not comply over the next month.


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http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e700c506-c406-11da-bc52-0000779e2340.html

:sarcasm:

Iran clearly isn't going to back down in the face of American threats. China and Russia will veto sanctions at the UN. The Europeans just want the two lunatics who've chained themselves together threatening to push each off the ledge of a tall building to keep talking.

Just keep 'em talking.

And I agree. Iran has been talking to Hugo Chavez. He told them to "act tough, don't back down, make it a show of one-upmanship". So far, it seems to be working.

Notice, the rhetoric has died down the past 2 weeks. I think the US was in fact just testing Iran, to see if there were any weaknesses they could exploit.

I think Iran's response told them the story. China, Iran, India, will not allow the US to invade or attack another country. Iraq was our "freebie" but no more.

Too bad it wasn't enough for President Cheney.