A couple of days ago, I noted that Iranian negotiator Hossein Mousavian was deviating from the talking points by declaring a “preliminary agreement” when everyone else was keeping to “considerable progress.” Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi joined Mousavian in lauding the “preliminary agreement”—leading the The New York Times’ Elaine Sciolino to speculate that the divergence …
UN First Committee supports a VERIFIABLE fissile material cut-off
by | 2004-11-10 | No Comments
Rhianna Tyson, summarizing events in the UN First Committee, notes: The overwhelming adoption of draft resolution L.34 on a verifiable FMCT, however, demonstrates that the international community is not yet ready to capitulate to the newest US-thrown wrench in the diplomacy cogs. Even though a draft resolution on an FMCT was put to vote for …
Paris Negotiations Update 9: Domestic Debate Ensues
by | 2004-11-09 | No Comments
The Nelson Report contains two bits of informed speculation, one about US policy and the other about Iranian domestic politics. 1. Administration observers express cautious optimism that the deal may stick, saving the United States an ugly sanctions fight at the United Nations that Washington may lose. SECSTATE is expected to offer a halt to …
Paris Negotiations Update 8:Solana: EU-Iran Deal "Pretty Close"
by | 2004-11-09 | No Comments
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told Reuters that “Progress has been made and we are waiting now for the final response from Iran” regarding the compromise negotiated in Paris. “It’s very difficult to give a definition of how close we are but my feeling today is that we are pretty close to having an …
