1.25.2005
Straw Emollient on Iran Rift After US Talks (Guardian.co.uk)
Ewen MacAskill
Tuesday January 25, 2005
The Guardian
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, played down a rift with the US about possible military action to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon after talks yesterday with the incoming secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice.
Last week the White House identified Iran as topping its list of foreign policy trouble spots for George Bush's second term. Mr Bush has refused to rule out military action, while Mr Straw has said he can conceive of no circumstances in which he would back force.
Together with his French and German colleagues, he has been pursuing negotiations with Iran that have resulted in a tentative deal suspending Iranian uranium enrichment.
Yesterday, Mr Straw said a military option was not mentioned in his talks with Ms Rice, the national security adviser who is awaiting Senate confirmation this week as the new secretary of state. "I think it was indicative that in the discussions I had, the issue was not raised once by either side. It was not on the table," Mr Straw said.
(More ... Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Straw emollient on Iran rift after US talks) ¶ 22:49
Tuesday January 25, 2005
The Guardian
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, played down a rift with the US about possible military action to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon after talks yesterday with the incoming secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice.
Last week the White House identified Iran as topping its list of foreign policy trouble spots for George Bush's second term. Mr Bush has refused to rule out military action, while Mr Straw has said he can conceive of no circumstances in which he would back force.
Together with his French and German colleagues, he has been pursuing negotiations with Iran that have resulted in a tentative deal suspending Iranian uranium enrichment.
Yesterday, Mr Straw said a military option was not mentioned in his talks with Ms Rice, the national security adviser who is awaiting Senate confirmation this week as the new secretary of state. "I think it was indicative that in the discussions I had, the issue was not raised once by either side. It was not on the table," Mr Straw said.
(More ... Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Straw emollient on Iran rift after US talks) ¶ 22:49
