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14 Feb 2005 14:21 GMT
US May Give Europe's Iran Strategy A Chance - Report

Source: http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2005021414210014&Take=1


NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the U.S. may join European diplomatic efforts aimed at persuading Iran to cease its uranium enrichment program required for nuclear weapons, the International Herald Tribune reported on its Web site Monday.

McCain, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who is influential in foreign policy circles, said over the weekend that the U.S. "was working on an effort to get an agreement between ourselves and the Europeans for a common approach.

"I hope we can achieve this. There is no reason why we can't. We have the same goals," he told a small group of European journalists at an annual security conference in Munich, according to the newspaper.

The Bush administration has repeatedly accused Iran of supporting terrorism and trying to acquire material for nuclear weapons. The newspaper said for now the U.S. is prepared to give the European initiative a chance but won't give the Europeans a mandate to negotiate with Iran on behalf of the U.S.

The U.K., France and Germany, which for nearly two years have been conducting talks with Iran to drop its uranium enrichment program, have repeatedly asked the U.S. to join the effort. The U.S. has so far held back because it has no diplomatic relations with Iran, and because it is concerned that direct contacts would legitimize the Iranian regime with which they never established relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IHT said.

"There are a lot of options to consider," McCain said. "At the end of the day it is very likely we can achieve a common position with the Europeans. We are not that far apart."

The senator said any breakthrough with Iran would have to meet two conditions: an agreement should be verifiable and transparent and it will have to have assurances that the Europeans will go to the U.N. for sanctions if necessary, according to the newspaper.

Corrected February 14, 2005 at 13:43 ET (18:43 GMT)

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