U.S., Iran Hold First Talks in Decades

[thecrow]

Source: AP

U.S., Iran Hold First Talks in Decades


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May 28, 7:00 AM (ET)

By STEVEN R. HURST


BAGHDAD (AP) - Iran and the United States resumed public diplomacy Monday for the first time in more than a quarter century. The meeting in Baghdad between ambassadors on security in Iraq could produce a chapter in world history for its success or a footnote for its failure.

Iraqi officials said the meeting between U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi was cordial and focused solely on Iraq. The session ended at about 2:30 p.m. after four hours.

<snip>

"There are good intentions and understanding and commitment between the two countries," Ali al-Dabagh, an Iraqi government spokesman, told reporters.


The talks were held at Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office in the Green Zone compound in Baghdad. Iraq was represented at the talks by National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie.

<snip>

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070528/D8PDBDA01.html

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More at link

[many a good man]

1. Clouding issues

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_iran_talks_21
Further complicating the talks, Iran said Saturday it had uncovered spy rings organized by the United States and its Western allies.

Iran accuses the U.S. of improperly seizing five Iranians in Iraq this spring. The U.S. military is holding the five. Iran says they are diplomats; Washington contends they are intelligence agents.

The U.S. also has complained about the detention or arrest of several Iranian-Americans in Iran in recent weeks. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said that issue was not on the U.S. agenda for Monday.


http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10128325.html
The Americans demand that Iran stop support to Shiite armed militias, precisely the Mehdi Army, wind up its religious influence in Najaf and Karbala, and accept the principle of cooperation with Americans to maintain stabilisation in the country.

"Iran restated its conditions, asking Americans to lift their protection provided the Mujahideen Khalq Organisation, an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, and to schedule a clear timetable for the US-led forces' withdrawal. These mutual dictates seem difficult to be achieved by any of the two states."

Mohammad Al Hasani, a political activist in the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, told Gulf News: "I admit we do not possess a conclusive evidence. Yet facts confirm Iran's involvement in Iraq's growing sectarian bloodshed.

"Therefore any US-Iranian agreement, if obtained by the current or future talks, will be ... unsuccessful due to differences between Iraqi sects and Iran, specifically with the ongoing spread of violence."

[Spazito]

2. Here is how the Canadian news is reporting the meeting...

U.S., Iran had 'positive' discussion on Iraq in rare talks

Iran proposed a three-party group to address violence in Iraq in the first public talks with the United States in nearly 30 years, said an American ambassador who described the meeting as "positive."

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said the United States would consider the plan for an Iraqi-American-Iranian body, to be called the "trilateral security mechanism."

snip

His Iranian counterparts pushed for the United States to acknowledge that its Iraq policy hasn't worked and pull out of the country.

snip

Crocker said that, overall, the two sides reached a broad agreement about what needs to happen in Iraq.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/05/28/us-iran-070527.html

(This can't make Cheney very happy at all)

[ohio2007]

3. U.S., Iran Reach Iraq Policy Consensus

By STEVEN R. HURST



BAGHDAD (AP) - The United States ambassador in Baghdad said he and his Iranian counterpart agreed broadly on policy toward Iraq during four-hour groundbreaking talks on Monday, but insisted that Iran end its support for militants. The Iranian ambassador later said the two sides would meet again in less than a month.

The Iranian envoy, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, also said that he told the Americans that Tehran was ready to train and equip the Iraqi army and police to create "a new military and security structure."

Kazemi did not elaborate nor would he say how U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker responded.

In a discussion with an Associated Press reporter after his news conference, Kazemi was asked if a second U.S.-Iranian meeting was planned.

"The next meeting will occur in Iraq in less than one month," Kazemi said.





http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070528/D8PDEJVO0.html

Iran wanted to have talks about many issues concerning the middle east. That was a condition of their meeting but as this article excerpt shows;


snip-

Monday's talks, as predicted, had a pinpoint focus: What Washington and Iran - separately or together - could do to contain the sectarian conflagration in Iraq.

"The American side has accusations against Iran and the Iranian side has some remarks on the presence of the American forces on Iraqi lands, which they see as a threat to their government," said Ali al-Dabagh, an Iraqi government spokesman.

But much more encumbered the narrow agenda - primarily Iran's nuclear program and Iranian fears that the Bush administration will seek regime change in Tehran as it did against Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Washington and its Sunni Arab allies, on their side, are deeply unnerved by growing Iranian influence in the Middle East and the spread of increasingly radical Islam.

Compounding all that is Iran's open hostility to Israel.

Other issues clouding the talks included U.S. Navy exercises in the Persian Gulf last week and tough talk from President Bush about new U.N. penalties over the Iranian nuclear program. The United States says Iran is trying to build a bomb; Iran says it needs nuclear technology for energy production.

Further complicating the talks, Iran said Saturday it had uncovered spy rings organized by the United States and its Western allies.




http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070528/D8PDF4100.html

Bottom line; More talks were scheduled for next month.
Hey,
It beats "Banging of shoes on a podium" being reported

[Eugene]

4. Iran: Second Meeting Planned With U.S.

Source: Associated Press

Iran: Second Meeting Planned With U.S.

Monday May 28, 2007 4:16 PM

AP Photo BAG102, BAG101

By STEVEN R. HURST

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) - The United States ambassador in Baghdad said
he and his Iranian counterpart agreed broadly on policy toward
Iraq during four-hour groundbreaking talks on Monday, but
insisted that Iran end its support for militants.

The Iranian ambassador later said the two sides would meet again
in less than a month.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the Iranian envoy, also said that he told the
Americans that his government was ready to train and equip the
Iraqi army and police to create “a new military and security
structure.”

Kazemi did not elaborate nor would he say how U.S. Ambassador
Ryan Crocker responded.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6665989,00.html

[Javaman]

5. wouldn't this be like, according to the mouth breathing right...

when nevil chamberline got his "peace" agreement with hitler?

frankly, it's amazing to see that that bizarre concept of diplomacy is being given a whirl by moron*

[The Stranger]

6. K & R and a resounding "fuck you" to all Neocon warmongers.

[stillcool]

7. wow...I don't know what to think...

but then again...I'm still puzzled over the whole Iran/US/Israel -illegal weapons to swap..to sell..to fund a different illegal war....

[Eugene]

8. US warns Iran over arming Iraqis

Last Updated: Monday, 28 May 2007, 16:29 GMT 17:29 UK

US warns Iran over arming Iraqis

The US has called on Iran to stop arming militants in Iraq
at the first bilateral public talks between the two countries
in almost 30 years.

US envoy Ryan Crocker said his Iranian counterpart had rejected
the charges at the four-hour talks in Baghdad, which focused
exclusively on Iraq's security.

Both countries agreed that a secure and stable Iraq was in
their interests.

Iran's ambassador, Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, described the meeting
as a success and said there were plans for future talks.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6696971.stm

[Posteritatis]

9. It's a start, or at least potentially one. (nt)

[The Stranger]

10. Kick.