AFP: The United States has “enormous scepticism” over Europe’s approach to Iran’s nuclear programme, even if it has publicly backed the efforts, a French diplomat said Friday. “I have to say that the United States has followed our negotiations with enormous scepticism, thinking that it will lead nowhere and that we are being duped by the Iranians,” said the diplomat, who was briefing journalists on condition of anonymity. AFP
PARIS – The United States has “enormous scepticism” over Europe’s approach to Iran’s nuclear programme, even if it has publicly backed the efforts, a French diplomat said Friday.
“I have to say that the United States has followed our negotiations with enormous scepticism, thinking that it will lead nowhere and that we are being duped by the Iranians,” said the diplomat, who was briefing journalists on condition of anonymity.
Britain, France and Germany welcomed US President George W. Bush’s reserved support earlier this year of the EU initiative to have Iran drop parts of its nuclear programme that could be used for military purposes in exchange for trade and security cooperation deals.
“That made our job easier and allowed us to show the Iranians that we had not a backing of the Americans but an understanding of the task,” the diplomat said.
“That hasn’t stopped the Americans continuing to watch us with deep scepticism. We don’t consult them as such, but we are telling the Americans what direction we’re going in without providing details on all of our positions,” he said.
The officials was speaking after Britain, France and Germany made a package of offers to Iran promising accords in various areas if it agreed to limits that would guarantee its nuclear programme could be used for exclusively civilian ends.
