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Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Iran Ready To Start "Serious" Talks

Sometimes you just can't figure out whether to openly laugh or not. Reuters on Iran's response:
Iran handed over on Tuesday its formal response to a nuclear incentives offer from major powers and said it contained ideas that would allow serious talks about its standoff with the West to start immediately.
...
"Although there is no justification for the other parties' illegal move to refer Iran's case to the Security Council,... the answer was prepared ... to pave the way for fair talks," Larijani said.
...
One European diplomat said: "It is a comprehensive answer. The Iranian side said they would welcome a continuation of negotiations."

The European diplomat, who was not at the meeting with Larijani but was citing an initial read out, said Iran had again ruled out freezing enrichment as a precondition to talks "but indicated that it might be open to accept suspension in the course of negotiations.

Other diplomats had no immediate comment on Iran's reply and declined to confirm that Larijani had indicated some flexibility on enrichment.
When I get home I have to look up some stuff from Ciano's diary. History is repeating itself, perhaps because Edgy Adji is taking a page from Mussolini's playbook, I see. Understandable, but must the Europeans reprise the same roles?

Let's hope Edgy Adji, like Mussolini, is also worrying more about the marching formations than battle readiness of their troops. The date is not known, and perhaps the means is not, but the end to this tragicomedy is certain.

The strangest part about this whole drama is that no package of economic incentives could possibly be worth as much as the bonus Iran is getting by constantly instilling a sense of insecurity in the world's oil traders. Surely this ought to be obvious? I really don't understand how diplo-dims ( "covert enemies")can keep a straight face when talking about "economic incentives" and "serious" negotiations. See this Reuters article:
Oil steadied near $72.50 a barrel on Tuesday, underpinned by Iran's determination to continue enriching uranium and run a risk of international sanctions.
...
raders fear a cut to Iran's crude exports of more than 2 million barrels per day either as a result of punitive sanctions or a decision by Tehran to use its oil for leverage.
Iran is not going to use its oil for leverage. They don't even refine their own oil, and they're flat broke. See Howard's post from a few days ago.


Comments:
I was going through a bit of a deja vu thing over Iran earlier today as well but it was concerning North Korea. Something about one side trying to negotiate diplomatic solutions and the other side simply stalling for time.
 
More like Iran ready for serious time wasting.

THis is like not paying a parking ticket.

In the end, not dealing with Iran is going to cost us a fortune.
 
Tommy, I break out in hives when I even look at a peanut, and it is Jimmy Carter's fault. You are dead right. That's the second level of bleating insanity here.
 
Pondering - The Anchoress is dead on. I think what the events of the last few weeks have shown us is that the left's despair has become suicidal. They are literally prepared to go down with their ships rather than concede that maybe, just maybe, Bush is not the worst human being in the history of the world.
 
SC&A - I think we should just go ahead and block their sales of oil and take the shock. I'd rather have to buy groceries for the poorer people around here for a few months than see their children die because we waited too long.

I think if the money tree dries up, the Iranian elite falls.
 
"When I get home I have to look up some stuff from Ciano's diary."
I love the reference. Found out about him during my reading of Churchill's World War II memoirs. Did you ever read the diaries?
 
I have never read anything by Churchill. Should I?

Sumner Welles introduction to Ciano's diary ends "Galeazzo Ciano was the creature of his times, and the times in which he had his being are the least admirable mankind has known for many centuries."

What so depresses me about the current pass is that it now seems that Europe's lights were indeed put permanently out by WWII. The renaissance was artificial and fleeting. A death of spirit occurred and we are now glimpsing the bones of the zombie as the non-living flesh is eroded from the animated corpse.

The diplomats of Europe are urgently working to achieve a peaceful death rather than a peaceful life. There's nothing left creative in the EU except for the countries, like Poland, on the margin which suffered so long under the dominion of the Soviet Union. But can they survive for long as commemorative outposts of a creative civilization that has died? I think not.

Please forgive my pessimism. I'm not normally like this.
 
I really enjoy Churchill. While he is very arrogant, the guy can sure write. I'll read him again if I'm feeling in the need of some motivation. Would suggest his book, "My Early Life". If you like that, perhaps volumes I and II of the WWII series.
 
Okay, I'll try those. Thanks.
 
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