http://www.cjp.org/page.html?ArticleID=146162 Iran Seeks Arab Support For Nuclear Program, But Finds Cool Response
SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan - Iran sought Arab support for its controversial nuclear program at the World Economic Forum meeting, calling the technology an asset to the Mideast region. But the response Sunday was cool from Arab leaders, many of them U.S. allies worried about Iran's growing influence. The push by Iranian hardliner Mohammed J.A. Larijani in an interview with The Associated Press came at the end of the three-day international conference, where non-Arab Iranian delegates found themselves ostracized, and occasionally criticized, by Arab officials. Larijani, a former deputy foreign minister and the brother of Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said Arab countries should value Iran's nuclear development because it could help them address their own energy needs. "Iran will be a partner, a brotherly partner, and will share its capabilities with the people of the region," Larijani told APTN on Sunday. In contrast, he argued the West would turn a blind eye when Arab countries in the Middle East came looking for nuclear assistance. But Arab diplomats, like Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul-Ilah al-Khatib, whose country is the conference host, turned a cold shoulder to Larijani and the other Iranian delegates. "There are serious flaws in the regional order and some countries are interfering in the affairs of Arab countries," al-Khatib said Sunday, referring to Iran's growing influence in Iraq. Iran also clashed with Arab participants over their efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, with Mottaki expressing skepticism of progress on Saturday. Arabs at the conference pressed for the implementation of their recently revived peace initiative, which envisions full Arab recognition of Israel in exchange for lands that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. The U.S. and Israel have said the plan could be a basis for reviving the Arab-Israeli peace process. But Israel has expressed reservations over many of its provisions, including the call to solve the Palestinian refugee issue. Israeli Vice premier Shimon Peres said Sunday his government would offer a counterproposal to the initiative soon. "The Arab League has proposed, fine. We will make a counterproposal," Peres said. There were no details on the proposal. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev repeated Israel's position that the initiative is a "very positive" basis for talks. "We see it as a manner of dialogue between us and the Arab world and we are hopeful to engage with the Arab world as a result of this initiative," he said. He added: "Israel has no interest in stagnation and unfortunately, if the Arab initiative is take it or leave it, that will be a recipe for stagnation." In other conference developments Sunday: -Two U.S. Republican senators attending the forum said the United States has evidence Iran sent weapons and trainers to instruct militants in Iraq to carry out terror attacks there. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
