AP sources: UN envoy wants Iran at Syria meeting

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

United Nations envoy Kofi Annan has proposed inviting Iran to a multinational meeting to discuss a political transition in Syria this week, but is leaving it up to the U.S. and Russia to decide whether Iran can participate, U.S. officials said Monday.

Annan wants an “understanding’’ between Washington and Moscow on Iran, other potential guests and the agenda, officials said, before he issues formal invitations to the meeting of an “Action Group on Syria’’ that he wants to convene in Geneva on Saturday.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the diplomacy.

The U.S. is adamantly opposed to Iran taking part, while Russia supports its inclusion. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said Iran’s participation would be a “red line’’ for the United States because it has been overt in its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on the opposition.

Annan has previously said that Iran “should be part of the solution’’ to the Syria crisis but has been coy about whether he believes Iran’s presence at the meeting is vital.


Read more: http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-25/news/32411341_1_catherine-ashton-iran-eu-foreign-policy

[David__77]

1. A lot of neocons like the state department as it is today.

Interestingly, the Clinton administration seemed much more open to diplomacy with Iran.