Reuters: U.S. President George W. Bush said on Saturday he was disappointed by Iran rejecting any suspension of nuclear enrichment, following an economic package offered by world powers.
PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) – U.S. President George W. Bush said on Saturday he was disappointed by Iran rejecting any suspension of nuclear enrichment, following an economic package offered by world powers.
Although Iran has stopped short of official rejection of the offer, Bush said: "I am disappointed that the Iranian leaders rejected this generous offer out of hand."
Bush told a joint news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy this was a sign that Iran's leadership was willing to isolate its people further.
Earlier, the European Union's top diplomat handed Tehran an offer from world powers of economic benefits to try to persuade it to stop nuclear enrichment. "Iran's view is clear: any precondition is unacceptable," government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said when asked about the package of incentives offered by the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany.
"If the package includes suspension it is not debatable at all," he told reporters.
The United States and its European allies have warned the Islamic Republic of more sanctions if it presses ahead with a nuclear programme they fear is aimed at making bombs.
The world's fourth-largest crude producer is refusing to stop activities it says are for generating electricity.
