____________________
"The Iranians have a strategic choice to make," said the US
president.
"They can come clean with the international community about
the scope of their nuclear activities, and fully accept the
longstanding offer to suspend their enrichment programme and
come to the table and negotiate.
"Or they can continue on a path of isolation that is not in
the best interest of the Iranian people."
-- BBC news online.
____________________
Bush continues the same old rhetoric, despite the fact that the trump card has
been removed from his hand. He speaks of isolation for Iran, but it is he who is
now isolating himself from international opinion. He's beginning to look more
and more like an ineffective loudmouth, and his image is not improved by his
administration's record in Iraq. Thus falleth the mighty, and the harder they
come, the harder they fall.
Cheney? Seems to have become invisible, what with a sinking ship and all.
rkm
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Original source URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7129307.stm
Bush urges Tehran to come clean
US President George W Bush has said that Iran should reveal the full extent of
its nuclear programme, or risk further international isolation.
A US intelligence assessment released on Monday said that Iran had halted a
nuclear weapons programme in 2003.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the US report a "great victory" for
Iran.
But Mr Bush said Iran still had "more to explain" about its past actions, and
that it must cease uranium enrichment.
He said Iran had yet to acknowledge that it had a covert nuclear weapons
programme which ran until 2003 - as stated by Monday's National Intelligence
Estimate (NIE).
The report said Iran was keeping its options open, continuing to enrich uranium,
which could be used for nuclear weapons in the future.
'Still a problem'
"The Iranians have a strategic choice to make," said the US president.
"They can come clean with the international community about the scope of their
nuclear activities, and fully accept the longstanding offer to suspend their
enrichment programme and come to the table and negotiate.
"Or they can continue on a path of isolation that is not in the best interest of
the Iranian people."
Analysts say Monday's report may undermine Washington's strategy of attempting
to rally other countries to impose stricter sanctions against Iran.
But Mr Bush said he believed Britain, France, Germany and Russia continued to
see Iran's nuclear programme as "a problem, that must be addressed by the
international community".
However, Russia and China - whose acquiescence would be required for any new UN
sanctions - have said the NIE report raises questions about the need for new
measures.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Iran
had been "somewhat vindicated".
Mr ElBaradei said the assessment was consistent with the IAEA's own, and that he
hoped it would allow some space to pursue a diplomatic solution.
'Just path'
Mr Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech that the report had been a "fatal
blow" to those who had filled the world for several years with threats, stress
and anxiety.
"This report... is announcing a victory for the Iranian nation in the nuclear
issue against all international powers," he said.
"You saw the report of the US intelligence. They said clearly that the Iranian
people were on the just path," he added.
He warned Iran's critics: "If you want to start up a new game, the Iranian
people will resist and will not step back one inch.
"If you want to negotiate with us as an enemy, the Iranian people will resist
and will conquer you. If it is on the basis of friendship and co-operation, the
Iranian people will be a great friend."
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says President Ahmadinejad is relishing the
moment, particularly at a time when he has been facing growing criticism within
the political elite over his handling of the nuclear issue.
The US has vowed to carry on pushing for a third UN sanctions resolution against
Iran - a draft of which could be circulated by the end of the week.
--
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