Brussels, 01/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday that Washington was ready, under certain conditions, for direct discussions with Iran. “As soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will re-join its EU3 colleagues (France, Germany, United Kingdom) at the negotiating table and will meet Iranian representatives,” Ms Rice promised, before adding, “It is time to know whether Iran is serious about negotiation or not”. This marks a break by the American administration in its 26-year foreign policy of refusing all contact with Iranian leaders. According to diplomats at the Vienna headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Washington has also tied these direct talks with Tehran to the acceptance by Moscow and Beijing of the possibility of sanctions against Iran, should Tehran continue its uranium enrichment activities.
The American opening was warmly greeted in Paris, which welcomed the United States' willingness and said the initiative demonstrated the validity of the European approach, in London, which was delighted with Washington's “active support”, and in Berlin. “Direct US participation would be the strongest and most positive signal of our common wish to reach a agreement with Iran,” said the EU High Representative Javier Solana in a press release. He added, “This important statement by the US administration reinforces our hope that out of the current discussions we will be able to establish a new and cooperative relationship with Iran, based on mutual confidence”. The Foreign Ministers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, United States, France, United Kingdom and Russia) plus Germany met in Vienna on Thursday to finalise the package of measures drawn up by the EU3, using a carrot and stick approach to encourage Iran to give up uranium enrichment.