Powers, Iran fail to end nuclear stalemate
Source: Agencies |
April 7, 2013, Sunday
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WORLD powers and Iran remained far apart after ending two days of intensive talks on Tehran's nuclear program yesterday, the European Union's foreign policy chief said, prolonging a stand-off that risks spiralling into a new Middle East war.
The failure to reach a breakthrough deal aimed at easing international concern over Iran's contested nuclear activity marked a further setback for efforts to resolve the decade-old dispute peacefully.
Underlining the lack of progress during the meeting in the Kazakhstan city of Almaty, no new negotiations between the two sides appeared to have been scheduled.
"Over two days of talks, we had long and intensive discussions on the issues addressed in our confidence-building proposal," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.
Remain far apart
"It became clear that our positions remain far apart," Ashton, who represents the six powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - in dealings with Iran, told a news conference.
Russia's negotiator sounded more upbeat, saying the talks were "definitely a step forward" although no compromise had been reached, Interfax news agency reported, without giving details.
Iran's critics accuse it of covertly seeking the means to produce nuclear bombs and say Tehran in the past has used diplomacy as a stalling tactic. Further inconclusive talks will not reassure Israel, which threatens air strikes, if necessary, to stop its arch-enemy from getting the bomb.
The Jewish state is widely believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal. Iran says its nuclear energy programme is entirely peaceful but UN inspectors suspect it has worked illicitly on designing a nuclear weapon.
With all sides aware that a breakdown in diplomacy could shunt the stalemate a step closer to war, no one in Almaty was talking about abandoning diplomatic efforts.
Ashton said that for the first time there had been a "real back and forth between us when were able to discuss details." But, she added: "What matters in the end is substance. We know what we want to achieve and the challenge is to get real engagement."
Without progress in coming months, Western governments are likely to increase economic sanctions on Iran.
The failure to reach a breakthrough deal aimed at easing international concern over Iran's contested nuclear activity marked a further setback for efforts to resolve the decade-old dispute peacefully.
Underlining the lack of progress during the meeting in the Kazakhstan city of Almaty, no new negotiations between the two sides appeared to have been scheduled.
"Over two days of talks, we had long and intensive discussions on the issues addressed in our confidence-building proposal," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.
Remain far apart
"It became clear that our positions remain far apart," Ashton, who represents the six powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - in dealings with Iran, told a news conference.
Russia's negotiator sounded more upbeat, saying the talks were "definitely a step forward" although no compromise had been reached, Interfax news agency reported, without giving details.
Iran's critics accuse it of covertly seeking the means to produce nuclear bombs and say Tehran in the past has used diplomacy as a stalling tactic. Further inconclusive talks will not reassure Israel, which threatens air strikes, if necessary, to stop its arch-enemy from getting the bomb.
The Jewish state is widely believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal. Iran says its nuclear energy programme is entirely peaceful but UN inspectors suspect it has worked illicitly on designing a nuclear weapon.
With all sides aware that a breakdown in diplomacy could shunt the stalemate a step closer to war, no one in Almaty was talking about abandoning diplomatic efforts.
Ashton said that for the first time there had been a "real back and forth between us when were able to discuss details." But, she added: "What matters in the end is substance. We know what we want to achieve and the challenge is to get real engagement."
Without progress in coming months, Western governments are likely to increase economic sanctions on Iran.
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