[Peace-discuss] Just Foreign Policy News, June 30, 2006

[Robert Naiman]

Just Foreign Policy News
June 30, 2006

In this issue:
1) US Rebuffs Iranian Calls for Time on Reply (excerpt)
2) Diplomats Push Iran to Reply Soon to Incentives Offer (excerpt)
3) Chavez Challenges US Over Security Council Seat (excerpt)
4) G-8 'Disappointed' With Iran Over Nuclear Offer
5) West Expects Reply From Iran Next Week
6) G-8 Ministers See Upcoming Iran Talks as Key
7) Though Bush's Numbers Edge Up, War Discontent Lifts Democrats (excerpt)
8) Justices Say Bush Went Too Far at Guantanamo
9) Poll: Majority of Americans want withdrawal plan for Iraq

Summary:
The United States rejected on Friday Iranian calls for more time to
study an offer of incentives to curb its nuclear activities, insisting
Tehran must respond by a G8 deadline next week. The G8 told Iran on
Thursday they wanted a ``clear and substantive response'' on July 5 to
an offer of incentives to stop enriching uranium, but two Iranian
officials immediately declared more time was needed. UnderSecretary of
State Nicholas Burns insisted the offer was ''very straightforward''
and Iran's chief negotiator Ali Larijani should respond as requested
by next Wednesday. The five permanent members of the U.N. Security
Council, plus Germany, are to discuss Iran's reaction at a July 12
meeting and Burns said major powers would look to take ''essential
decisions'' at the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russia, on July 15.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Thursday that
Tehran would respond in August and not before to the incentives offer.
"Such a response will be in August. I didn't say early August or
mid-August,'' he said, adding that "questions and ambiguities'' in the
proposal needed to be cleared up.Burns reiterated that the
precondition for Iran receiving any support in building a civilian
nuclear program was that it stops enriching uranium. Full details of
the proposal have not been released, but among the incentives offered
is a guarantee that the United States would facilitate a European
offer to provide Iran with a light-water reactor and other civilian
nuclear technology. Much of the light-water nuclear technology
originates in the United States, and without American government
approval, the Europeans could not provide it to Iran. A senior U.S.
official told reporters that the six countries agreed that Iran would
not be allowed to provide some halfway response to the request to end
its enrichment activities. He said that a suspension would have to
include no more spinning of centrifuges, no introduction of uranium
gas, no more activities at Iran's facility in Nantanz and no new
construction of centrifuge arrays known as cascades.

Russia continues to signal that it will not support ultimatums
directed against Iran. Speaking to foreign diplomats on Tuesday,
President Vladimir V. Putin said, "I repeat once again that we have no
intention of joining in any kinds of ultimatums that only drive the
situation into a dead end and deal a blow to the U.N. Security
Council's authority." At a meeting on Thursday, Russian officials
pointedly put copies of the text of that speech on the table for
journalists.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez challenged the United States on
Thursday to try to block Venezuela's attempt to secure a U.N. Security
Council seat. The U.N. General Assembly vote to award two-year
Security Council seats to five nations is set for October. The world's
fifth-largest oil exporter and an OPEC member, Venezuela is opposing
Washington's attempts to press for U.N. action against Iran over its
nuclear program.

A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll suggests that discontent over Iraq,
particularly among women, is bolstering Democratic prospects for
control of Congress in November.
Women were much less likely than men to say the war had been worth the
cost. 56% of respondents disapproved of the way President Bush is
handling the situation in Iraq. 40% approved of the way President Bush
is handling Iran's nuclear weapon program, compared with 31%
disapproval. 16% thought Iran would be stopped from obtaining nuclear
weapons through military action, and a majority thought Iran would
eventually acquire nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, 52% supported U.S.
military action to prevent Iran from doing so, while 37% were opposed.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush overstepped his
authority in creating military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay
detainees, a rebuke to the administration. Justice John Paul Stevens
wrote the opinion, which said the proposed trials were illegal under
U.S. law and the Geneva Convention.

A USA Today poll reported this week indicated that a majority of
Americans think that Congress should pass a resolution that outlines a
plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Half of those surveyed
would like all U.S. forces out within 12 months. In the poll, 57% say
Congress should pass a resolution that outlines a plan for withdrawing
U.S. troops.

Articles:
1) US Rebuffs Iranian Calls for Time on Reply
Reuters
June 30, 2006
Filed at 7:23 a.m. ET
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-nuclear-iran.html

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States rejected on Friday Iranian
calls for more time to study an offer of incentives to curb its
nuclear activities, insisting Tehran must respond by a G8 deadline
next week.

The Group of Eight industrialized nations told Iran on Thursday they
wanted a ``clear and substantive response'' on July 5 to an offer of
incentives to stop enriching uranium, but two Iranian officials
immediately declared more time was needed.


2) Diplomats Push Iran to Reply Soon to Incentives Offer
Helene Cooper
New York Times
June 30, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/world/middleeast/30diplo.html

MOSCOW, June 29 — Diplomats from the world's richest countries said
Thursday that they expected to receive a "clear and substantive"
response from Iran by next Wednesday to the package of incentives
offered by major powers in exchange for suspending its activities
relating to enrichment of uranium.

The statement from the foreign ministers of the Group of 8
industrialized countries was the first reference to an explicit
deadline for Iran to respond formally. "We are disappointed in the
absence of an official Iranian response to this positive proposal,"
their statement said.


3) Chavez Challenges US Over Security Council Seat
Reuters
June 29, 2006
Filed at 8:09 p.m. ET
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-venezuela-un.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
challenged the United States on Thursday to try to block his attempt
to secure a U.N. Security Council seat as he seeks to curb
Washington's ``imperialist'' influence.

A U.N. General Assembly vote set for October to award two-year
Security Council seats to five nations is the latest arena for
sparring between Caracas and Washington, which views Chavez as a
strongman using Venezuela's oil wealth to promote an anti-democratic
agenda throughout Latin America.

The world's fifth-largest oil exporter and an OPEC member, Venezuela
is already opposing Washington's attempts to press for U.N. action
against Iran over its nuclear program.


4) G-8 'Disappointed' With Iran Over Nuclear Offer
Tehran Rejects Call for Response to Nuclear Incentives by Next Week
Glenn Kessler
Washington Post
Friday, June 30, 2006; A24
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062900315.html

MOSCOW, June 29 -- Iran should give a "clear and substantive" response
next Wednesday to an offer for economic and other incentives as part
of negotiations on its nuclear program, the United States, Russia and
other industrial nations said Thursday.

Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight countries said in a statement
that they were "disappointed" Iran had not yet provided a formal
response to the offer, made on June 1 in Vienna by the five permanent
members of the Security Council and Germany.

A top Iranian official is to meet with the European Union's foreign
policy chief, Javier Solana, on Wednesday to discuss the offer. U.S.
officials indicated that more than one meeting might be necessary to
get a full answer from the Iranians.


5) West Expects Reply From Iran Next Week
Anne Gearan
Associated Press
Thursday, June 29, 2006; 4:01 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062901051.html


MOSCOW -- The United States, Russia and other industrial democracies
said Thursday they expect Iran to reply next week to an international
offer to bargain over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

"We are disappointed in the absence of an official Iranian response to
this positive proposal," said a statement from foreign ministers of
the Group of Eight industrial nations. "We expect to hear a clear and
substantive Iranian response to these proposals" at a meeting
scheduled July 5 between the European Union's foreign minister and
Iran's nuclear negotiator.


6) G-8 Ministers See Upcoming Iran Talks as Key
The top industrialized countries put pressure on Tehran to give a firm
response next week on a package offered to curb its nuclear
activities.
James Gerstenzang and David Holley
Los Angeles Times
June 30, 2006
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-rice30jun30,1,7654229.story

MOSCOW — The United States, Russia and other key industrialized
countries on Thursday increased pressure on Iran over its nuclear
program, declaring that Tehran's intentions would be judged based on
its response next week to a proposal intended to put the effort under
international control.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, is scheduled to meet
Wednesday with Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy
chief, and senior diplomats from Russia, Britain, France and Germany
to discuss the offer.

"We expect to hear a clear and substantive Iranian response to these
proposals" at the meeting, foreign ministers from the Group of 8
industrial nations said in a statement issued after their meeting
here.


7) Though Bush's Numbers Edge Up, War Discontent Lifts Democrats (excerpt)
THE TIMES / BLOOMBERG POLL
Bush's numbers edge up, but discontent over Iraq -- especially among
women -- continues to bolster Democratic hopes for November.
Ronald Brownstein
Los Angeles Times
June 30, 2006
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-poll30jun30,1,1728154.story

WASHINGTON — President Bush's job approval rating is up slightly, but
discontent over the Iraq war, especially among women, is continuing to
boost Democratic prospects in the struggle for control of Congress, a
Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

Bush's job approval rating edged up to 41%, his highest since January
in the poll. But Democrats held a formidable advantage, 49% to 35%,
when registered voters were asked which party they intended to support
in fall congressional elections.


8) Justices Say Bush Went Too Far at Guantanamo
5-3 ruling in one of biggest presidential powers' cases since World War II
MSNBC
Thursday, June 29, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush
overstepped his authority in creating military war crimes trials for
Guantanamo Bay detainees, a rebuke to the administration and its
aggressive anti-terror policies.

Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion, which said the proposed
trials were illegal under U.S. law and the Geneva Convention.


9) Poll: Majority of Americans want withdrawal plan for Iraq
Susan Page, USA TODAY
Updated 6/26/2006 8:34 PM ET
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-26-iraq-poll_x.htm

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans say Congress should pass a
resolution that outlines a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq,
according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday. Half
of those surveyed would like all U.S. forces out within 12 months.
The poll finds support for the ideas behind Democratic proposals that
were soundly defeated in the Senate last week. An uptick in optimism
toward the war after the killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi earlier this month seems to have evaporated.


-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org