Israel Matzav

Catherine Ashton makes war inevitable

EU Foreign Secretary Catherine Ashton may have made war between Israel and Iran inevitable on Tuesday, by accepting on behalf of the 'P-5+1' an Iranian offer to 'negotiate' over its nuclear weapons program.

"Today I have replied to Dr. Jalili's letter of Feb. 14," Ashton said in a statement. "I have offered to resume talks with Iran on the nuclear issue," she said.

Ashton and her counterparts are concerned that Tehran's nuclear work is aimed at producing weapons, and they want Iran to hold back on the program. Tehran says it is trying to develop nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand.

The time and venue for the talks will now have to be agreed, Ashton said.

Earlier Tuesday, Russia urged global powers to hold new talks with Iran on its nuclear program as soon as possible, saying Tehran had proved it was ready for serious negotiations.

"I would like to underscore Russia's interest in the Iranian side and the 'group of six' reaching agreement on a date and site for the resumption of the negotiations process as quickly as possible," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

Iran offered last month to restart the talks but has also continued to pursue activities that have stoked fears it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, leaving Western powers wary of starting negotiations.

North Korea tested nuclear weapons while it was in similar 'negotiations' with world powers. There is no reason to think Iran will not do the same. Israel has even less reason to trust Ashton personally (she is downright hostile to Israel) or the P-5+1 than it has to trust President Obama.

The US election is on November 6.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Catherine Ashton, Iranian nuclear threat

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:18 PM