Agreement Reached On Incentives For Iran

Officials announced an agreement yesterday on a package of incentives for Iran designed to stop their nuclear program.

VIENNA, June 1 — The United States and five other major world powers agreed Thursday to offer Iran a broad new collection of rewards if it halts its drive to master nuclear technology, but they threatened "further steps in the Security Council" if Iran refuses.

The agreement, announced here by British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett following extended talks, brings general unity to the countries' approach to Iran after months of discord, diplomats said. It is intended to sharpen the choice facing Iran, giving it a clear reason to opt for cooperation over confrontation on its nuclear program.

"There are two paths ahead," Beckett told reporters, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and counterparts from Russia, China, France, Germany and the European Union stood at her side. "We urge Iran to take the positive path and to consider seriously our substantive proposals, which would bring significant benefits."

Beckett made the announcement near midnight Tehran time. There was no immediate response from the Iranian government.

Rice, who spent more than eight hours in sometimes freewheeling talks with her counterparts Thursday, flew here after announcing a major shift in U.S. policy on Wednesday — a willingness to join the negotiations with Iran that have been led, unsuccessfully, by Britain, France and Germany, provided Iran suspends its uranium-enrichment activities first.

Iranian diplomats on Thursday did not reject outright the U.S. proposal for talks, but they criticized the demand that their country end enrichment first.

I would call that last sentence overly optimistic, personally. I think Iran did reject the talks, but some people see it otherwise. The incentive package is also rumored to contain certain sanctions that will kick in if Iran continues. There are no details on what is in the package, only rumors. Given Iran's track record on negotiations so far, this doesn't really look too promising at this point.

UPDATE: New York Times Coverage here.

The Real Agenda?

Bob Owens over at Confederate Yankee thinks he detects the real reason behind the article Robert Kennedy, Jr. published in Rolling Stone. The "proof" of election fraud Kennedy offers is of course, laughable to anyone not already a true believer. An "analysis" of exit polls is probably the dumbest thing ever presented to the public. But the Confederate Yankee points to the likely real reason for this long-winded yet totally lightweight piece of "research". Not really aimed at the President at all, the real target just may be the Republican candidate for Governor of Ohio, Ken Blackwell.

UPDATE: The Real Ugly American connects a few dots. I'd say it's pretty conclusive this was meant as a hit piece on Blackwell.