American Envoy To Join Iran Talks

[cal04]

Source: Washington Post

Move Is Departure From Prior Policy
The Bush administration will send a senior envoy this weekend to international talks with Iran about its nuclear program in what U.S. officials described as a "one-time deal" designed to demonstrate a serious desire to negotiate a solution to the impasse over Tehran's ambitions.

In a significant departure from long-standing policy, Undersecretary of State William J. Burns will join a scheduled meeting in Geneva between European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and top Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, according to a senior State Department official.

Burns, State's third-ranking official, will not negotiate with the Iranians nor hold separate meetings, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet been announced. Instead, Burns will advance the White House's position that serious negotiations can begin only after Iran suspends uranium enrichment.

Administration officials have long insisted that U.S. representatives would not join even preliminary discussions with Tehran until it stops enriching uranium -- a distinction that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has called counterproductive.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/15/AR2008071502647.html?hpid=topnews

[Muttocracy]

1. hmmm, Burns testified in both houses recently.

SFRC and House similar committee. He was pretty frank with the SFRC it seemed, more level-headed than one might expect. He choked up on questions from Ron Paul on the other one though.

[Imagevision]

2. But-but...Mccain said he doesn't want to talk to Iran until they give up their, "nucler "program...?

Watching McBush while the US. starts talks with Iran should be a gift to Obama...

[Muttocracy]

7. that's noo-cue-ler

[stlsaxman]

3. Nationalist Propaganda Radio (NPR) just said Burns was going as "an observer only".

what is this "one time only" business?

[Muttocracy]

6. the last hourly update I heard was a little different, pointing out the contrast

with past Bush policy - wish they would say APPEASEMENT!!! and put it in a longer article rather than just the hourly update.

[JudyInTheHeartland]

4. Interesting - this is clearly an attempt to undercut Obama

They want to blur the lines and take away his core message.

[JudyInTheHeartland]

5. Why isnt there more discussion about this?

[Muttocracy]

8. Here's the SFRC testimony archive if you want to hear Burns himself

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2008/hrg080709p.html

Link at the top opens in RealPlayer.

Edit to add - fast forward to 47 minutes into tape for start of hearing - I think they started late due to FISA or Medicare vote last week.

[cal04]

9. Policy Shift Seen in U.S. Decision on Iran Talks

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/world/middleeast/17iran.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

The decision by the Bush administration to send a senior American official to participate in international talks with Iran this weekend reflects a double policy shift in the struggle to resolve the impasse over the country’s nuclear program..

(snip)
That the letter was also addressed to Ms. Rice as well as the foreign ministers of the five other countries was seen as a sign of Iran’s willingness to engage directly with the United States and may have factored into the American decision to send Mr. Burns.
(letter by Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki )

The letter, which has not been made public, said Iran’s policy on negotiations over its nuclear program was to “find common ground through logical and constructive actions” and a “positive attitude.” It also noted that there were “certain similarities” between a letter Mr. Mottaki presented to the United Nations earlier this year and the one presented as part of the incentives initiative last month by the six powers.

The letter also criticized Security Council sanctions against Iran as “illegal,” adding, “The time for negotiating from the condescending position of inequality has come to an end,” the Iranian response said, according to officials who have seen the document.

[Muttocracy]

10. It's an amazing turn of events to me - but also makes me suspicious...

[jillan]

11. Me thinks Obama has a new talking point.

He talks - they follow.

Actually Burns is not too bad for a repuke.
He is more level headed and down to earth than his boss (Condi).