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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran to back ME peace deal |
| 2009-04-27 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said it would be "fine with us" if the Palestinians reach a "two state" peace deal with Israel, despite his opposition to the "racist" Jewish nation. The firebrand leader, in an interview broadcast Sunday with US network ABC, appeared unhappy with President Barack Obama's failure to return a message of greetings and said nuclear negotiations could only proceed with a clear agenda. After triggering a storm with anti-Israel remarks at a UN racism conference in Geneva, Ahmadinejad attacked Obama's "support of the massacre of Gazans, in support for the criminals who were responsible for that atrocity." But having previously called for Israel to be "wiped off the map," he appeared to hold out a potential olive branch in backing the Palestinians' right to pursue a deal for statehood alongside Iran's arch-enemy. "Whatever decision they take is fine with us. We are not going to determine anything. Whatever decision they take, we will support that," Ahmadinejad said through an interpreter in the interview, which was taped Wednesday in Tehran. "We think that this is the right of the Palestinian people, however we fully expect other states to do so as well," Ahmadinejad said, without saying whether Iran might recognize the Jewish nation as part of a "two state" agreement. At the same time, Ahmadinejad stood by his speech in Geneva, which prompted a walkout by European diplomats. The United States and Israel boycotted the conference, where the Iranian leader launched a new verbal attack on the Jewish state. Attacking Obama's decision to stay away and his subsequent condemnation of the speech, Ahmadinejad said the US president "has the right to have his own opinion." "But the Geneva conference had been organized to combat racism, to oppose racism. My point of view is that the Zionist regime is the manifestation of racism," he told ABC. The Iranian president said meanwhile it was up to the United States to take the lead in negotiations on his regime's nuclear ambitions. "Iran and US relations are dependent on the decision taken by the US administration. "Mr Obama sends us messages of friendship, but in the communique issued by the '5+1', enmity can be seen," he said, referring to nuclear talks involving the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. "So this is a dual route, if you will." After three decades of diplomatic deep freeze, Obama has called for direct engagement with Iran over testy issues including its nuclear drive, which Western powers fear could be a cover for efforts to build an atomic bomb. Ahmadinejad said he had received criticism at home for sending his message of congratulations on Obama's election. "Nevertheless, I did that. I am yet to receive a response." Asked if Iran was ready to talk to the United States without preconditions, he said: "No, no. "We should just have a clear-cut framework for talks," he said. "The agenda should be clear." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told US lawmakers last week that the United States was preparing for "very tough sanctions" against Iran if the new US overtures to Tehran fail. Earlier this month, Ahmadinejad said Tehran would offer a new package to the world powers for the nuclear negotiations. |
| Posted by:Fred |