Regime says it's set to talk about nuclear fuel swap

Iran Times International July 30, 2010:The Islamic Republic an- nounced Monday that it was now ready to resume talks on a fuel swap for the Tehran nuclear reactor—talks that have been in abeyance for nine months. The announcement was oddly timed for the same day the European Union foreign ministers were polishing off the details on the new EU sanctions. That left some people thinking Iran had blinked and been forced by the foreign pressure to negotiate. But more people, inured to years of what they see as stalling tactics, saw Iran’s offer of talks as just another effort to stall on substance. Iran met with France, Russia and the United States in October on their proposal to swap 1,200 kilos of Iranian uranium enriched to less than 5 percent for the equivalent in fuel plates of uranium-aluminum alloy enriched to 19.75 percent, as required by the Tehran reactor, which is used to make medical isotopes. But Iran balked after that and started laying additional demands. In May, Iran met with Turkey and Brazil and they negotiated a proposal that essentially went back to what Iran was offered last October. Although Russia, France and the United States grumbled over that game-playing, they did not reject what Brazil, Turkey and Iran came up with, contrary to many news reports. Instead, they submitted nine questions to Iran two months ago. It was that letter that Iran finally answered Monday—providing more fuel for those who accuse Iran of constant delay. At the same time, Iran said it was willing to sit down and discuss the fuel swap for the first time since October “without preconditions.” Separately, Iranian officials said Iran was willing to resume talks in September with the Big Six on the broader nuclear issues. It has been two years since the last session of those talks was held. Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, is expected to meet face-to-face in September with Saeed Jalili, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, to see if another round of talks can be jump-started. But President Ahmadi-nejad said Tuesday that Iran’s preconditions for those talks—announced several weeks ago—remain.

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