Bush criticizes Iran decision on nuclear program
By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
16 minutes ago
President Bush said Saturday that Iran has isolated its people and put
the world in danger by rejecting a deal aimed at halting the country's
uranium enrichment program.
In Tehran, European Union diplomat Javier Solana presented Iran a
modified package of economic, technological and political incentives
on behalf of the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Russia and
China. Iran immediately rejected the deal because it requires
suspending uranium enrichment.
"I'm disappointed that the leaders rejected this generous offer out of
hand," Bush said. "It's an indication to the Iranian people that their
leader****p is willing to isolate them further. Our view is we want the
Iranian people to flourish and to benefit."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy took the same approach as Bush. He
said the Iranian people "deserve better than the impasse into which
some of their leaders are leading them."
Iran says it is enriching uranium to generate electricity, not to
build nuclear weaponry =97 a claim the West doubts is true.
The repackaged incentives were agreed on last month in what diplomats
called mainly cosmetic changes to the original 2006 offer, while
maintaining the threat of further U.N. sanctions. So far, three sets
of sanctions by the United Nations have failed to bring about any
change.
Bush also gave a stern message to Syrian President Bashar Assad on
Saturday, saying the Syrians should stop working with Iran to
destabilize the Mideast. "My message would be `Stop fooling around
with the Iranians and stop harboring terrorists,'" Bush said in a news
conference with Sarkozy.
On Iraq, Bush brushed off criticism that a long-term security deal
between the United States and Iraq was faltering.
"If I were a betting man, we'll reach an agreement with the Iraqis,"
Bush said. "Of course, we're there at their invitation. It's a
sovereign nation ... We're going to work hard to accommodate their
desires. It's their country."
The deal would provide a legal basis for the presence of U.S. forces
in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires. Bush said the agreement would
not commit future U.S. presidents to any troop levels in Iraq and
would not establish permanent U.S. bases.
Bush's upbeat *****ssment came as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
declared Friday that talks with the U.S. on the deal were deadlocked,
as Sunni and ****ite preachers spoke out against a plan that would
enable American troops to remain in Iraq after year's end.
Al-Maliki said negotiations will continue, but his tough talk reflects
Iraqi determination to win greater control of U.S. military operations
after the U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year. Failure to
strike a deal would be a major setback for Bush ahead of the November
presidential election.
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