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EU loves the Mullahs! "New Year in Iran-EU Ties?"

 
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Why is the Bush Administration appeasing the Mullahs by allowing the Europeans to run the show?
Ongoing problems w/ "bringing Democracy" to Iraq. The Bush Administration's "hands" are full.
41%
 41%  [ 5 ]
The Bush Administration has no intention of supporting the freedom-loving Iranian people.
16%
 16%  [ 2 ]
The Bush Administration really does support the Iranian people, but has not acted yet.
41%
 41%  [ 5 ]
Total Votes : 12

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redemption



Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 1158
Location: California

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:38 am    Post subject: EU loves the Mullahs! "New Year in Iran-EU Ties?" Reply with quote

The BIG-3 Loves The Mullahs!
New Year in Iran-EU Ties?

December 28, 2004
United Press International
Modher Amin

Tehran, Iran -- A new element has seemingly emerged in the semi-turbulent relations between Iran and the European Union. On Dec. 13, after 14 months of intensive diplomacy focused on Iran's nuclear program, the 25-member European bloc and Iran said they were opening a new chapter in their relationship.

The two sides agreed to launch long-term negotiations for closer economic, political, technology and nuclear cooperation.

The agreement came following talks between the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Hassan Rowhani, and the foreign ministers of the U.K., France and Germany -- Jack Straw, Michel Barnier and Joschka Fischer, respectively -- and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels.

Brussels and Tehran are to resume negotiations on a trade and co-operation agreement in mid-January.

After several rounds of "comprehensive dialogue" between the EU and Iran in the form of biannual troika meetings on political and economic issues since 1997 -- the year the reformist President Mohammad Khatami came to power -- the talks were put on hold in June 2003 due to international concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions. During much of the same year and in 2004, Iran and the EU were engaged in tough and difficult talks on the country's nuclear program, which the United States suspects is intended to develop atomic weapons.

The EU's big three -- Britain, France and Germany -- who spearheaded the Union's diplomatic engagement with Iran, however, threatened, at times, to report the Islamic state to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, a demand Washington has constantly been pushing for.

Brussels demanded, in particular, a complete stop to Iran's uranium enrichment activities, which -- despite Tehran's insistence that they are meant to produce fuel for the country's future power plants -- could be diverted to making bomb-grade material.

In November, the E3 and the Islamic republic signed an agreement in Paris to assure the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. Later, in the week, the International Atomic Energy Agency verified that Iran had suspended its enrichment activities, which Tehran maintains has "voluntarily" and "temporarily" agreed to only for confidence-building.

The Vienna-based U.N. watchdog also said there was no evidence that the Islamic republic was producing nuclear weapons, thus saving Iran's dossier from going to the Security Council.

Uranium enrichment is allowed under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which Iran is a signatory, and the country wants it as part of its efforts to master a nuclear fuel cycle.

The EU and Iran formed three working groups to promote economic, technology and security cooperation. The groups, formally convened in Brussels, are expected to meet in Tehran early next year to reach a long-term agreement on Iran's controversial nuclear plans, which the country has been seeking for nearly two decades.

Enduring doubts, however, exist over the success of the EU's drive in forging a lasting compromise with Iran, not to mention that, Solana has reportedly put Iran as a key test for the Union's foreign policy in 2005. Tehran, on the other hand, has repeatedly termed the stinging issue of uranium enrichment as its "red line," whose follow-up is its "legitimate right" not to be relinquished.

But, in what is seen as a shift in Washington's confrontational approach towards the issue, President George W. Bush gave the EU's policy of engagement his strongest support yet during a press conference last week.

"We are relying upon others because we've sanctioned ourselves out of influence with Iran. ... In other words, we don't have much leverage with the Iranians right now, and we expect them to listen to those voices," he said.

Bush's comments went even further in support of the contacts that had been made by the Europeans when he said, "diplomacy must be the first choice," adding, "We're a part of the universal acclaim (for the EU approach). ... This is how we're dealing with the issue."

Analysts say EU-Iran negotiations will, in no way, be all smooth sailing, with the question remaining whether 2005 will be an "eventual" year in the relations between the two sides.

The EU is Iran's biggest trading partner, with oil accounting for over 80 percent of Tehran's exports to the Union. Iran also sells agricultural products as well as textiles and carpets to the EU.

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stefania



Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks

I have voted
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stefania



Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wrote this and I thought you might be interested in reading it and tell me what you think

The noblest goal

http://freethoughts.splinder.com/post/3693674

No, it's not preaching and invoking "peace". It's not preaching a "peace" that kills much more than a war does.

A peace at the expense of leaving a people in the hands of a system that torturs and kills him only because he has a different opinion than the ruling system that keeps him as a slave.

The main goal for every country caring about Freedom, should be spreading,promoting and exporting democracy wherever it is denied.

It should be appreciated by everyone, regardless one's political ideology.

Sadly,the reality is quite the opposite. Those who boast to consider all the peoples as deserving the same rights and opportunities, in truth are also those who stain themselves of the worst form of racism:claiming that the Arabs and the Muslims are, innately, unfit for self-govern and democracy; claiming that the Middle Eastern culture is incompatible with the very concept of Democracy; claiming that, if given an opportunity, they would vote for Islamist candidates.

This is a claim that is often heard from the groups on both the left and the extreme right. It would be like to say that these peoples don't deserve to enjoy the same rights to liberty we do.

Why can we and cannot they?

Are they maybe innately inferior to us?

This seems to be what these individuals believe.

By thinking so, one tends to justify the so-called "secular dictatorships".

Yet, the current reality is proving that these individuals are totally wrong. In Afghanistan, million Afghans voted massively,despite serious terrorist concerns.

The outcome was not favorable to an islamist. The afghan people is not eager to elect theocrats.

They are appreciating the newborn democracy and will do so as they realize the benefits and advantages of living in a society that Nathan Sharansky correctly calls "the free society opposed to the fear one."

As for Iraq, million Iraqis are registering to vote and don't want their first democratic elections to be delayed, despite the terrorist threats and the current situation.

This proves the Iraqi's desire to discover what Democracy is and how it works.

Many of those who don't believe in the Arab democratic aspirations might be disapppointed by the success of the democratic experiment in Iraq, as well as they would if they learn about the growing number of Liberal Arabs that are working for a country-by-country debate on Democracy in their societies and governing systems. Phenomenon that involves now even the most unknown arab individuals.

I believe in the arabs' and muslims' democratic aspirations and in the concept of Democracy as a universal value and ideal.

All the men, innately, cannot stand forever the lack of liberty and freedom. Every man could stay without breathing for a very short lapse of time, but not forever.

Moreover, I am convinced that it's the duty of every democratic nation promote,spread and exporting Democracy, also in the Middle East, if we are serious about our will to defeat terror.

Th war on terror will be won once we win the hearts and the minds of the peoples of the region to the concept of Democracy.

In the Saddam's Iraq, for instance, the schoolchildren used to learn how to hate and kill mercilessly the "infidel" and an imaginary "enemy".

Today, they study and learn mathematics,informatics and other subjects.

They no longer learn to hate and kill.

This is important as today's Iraqi children will be the new Iraqi generation of tomorrow. They will not be the martyrs that Saddam wanted them to become. They will be doctors, dentists, informatic engineers,etc..

All these millions of Iraqis are a resource for world peace and security and a blow to the terrorist recruiters.

But that is not enough. In the other Islamic countries, including those who are wrongly labeled as "moderate", million individuals are subjected to jihadist and islamist indoctrination, starting from the school years.

Freeing, with every mean at our disposal, these peoples would mean denying Al Qaeda and the Terrorist networks potential recruits.

Let's help the Liberal Arabs and Muslims prevail over the extremists.

If we succeed in doing so, we will have won the war on the new century's evil.
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stefania



Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just wondering, why you put quotes on Bringing Democracy to Iraq??
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stefania



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have chosen the third option
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Scooter



Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 81
Location: Washington, DC

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Stefania,

Great piece you wrote! Keep up the good work!

-Al
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