Devil in the details, West seeks undisclosed “confidence building” measures to secure agreement

West seeks confidence-building in Iran talks
23 May, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Updated 2:01pm: Global powers will present Iran with a detailed proposal including confidence-building measures when the two sides meet in Baghdad on Wednesday for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, a senior Western official said on Tuesday.

Officials voiced caution heading into Wednesday’s meeting, but said the Western-led coalition was ready to make an offer on a way forward if Iran showed willingness to curb its nuclear program in a transparent way.

The group, led at the Baghdad talks by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, “will put forward a detailed proposal that will include confidence-building measures,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters in Amman.

Representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia – plus Germany are due to fly to Baghdad from Amman on Wednesday for the talks, which could last two days.

Officials declined to give specifics of the new proposal, and stressed the group remained committed to ensuring Iran abides by UN Security Council resolutions and meets its international obligations on its atomic work.

Their main goal is expected to be an Iranian agreement to shut down higher-grade uranium enrichment, which has sown fears that Tehran could move swiftly toward a bomb.

Russia said on Wednesday that Iran appears ready to agree specific steps to end the standoff, but warned that additional US.sanctions would undermine efforts to ensure Tehran does not develop atomic weapons. …more