U.S. diplomat says panel is too soft on Iran

[radfringe]

U.S. diplomat says panel is too soft on Iran
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001798401_irannukes22.html
Saturday, November 22, 2003 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

By George Jahn
The Associated Press

VIENNA, Austria — The United States assailed Iran yesterday for what it claimed were "lies" about its nuclear program and voiced unprecedented criticism of the U.N. atomic agency chief, suggesting he glossed over 18 years of deception that included enriching uranium and processing plutonium.

"Questionable," U.S. envoy Kenneth Brill said of a section of a report from International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei, adding the agency found "no evidence" of an Iranian nuclear program.

"Disingenuous," replied ElBaradei to Brill's criticism.

---snip---

In Washington, the State Department sought to play down any rift.

"There's no intention to impugn the credibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the fine work that Director ElBaradei has done in putting together what is an important report on Iran's nuclear program," spokesman Adam Ereli said.

Chief Iranian delegate Ali Akbar Salehi suggested the United States was isolated on the board.

"We think that the American delegation — or the U.S. as a whole — is sort of a hostage to its own accusations," Salehi said.

A diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity said only a few countries — Canada, Australia and Japan — supported the U.S. position

[dbt]

1. We don't want to bring up "lies!"

Or we'll open ourselves to the ones bu$h told us to get us into Iraq Nam. Talk about your slippery slopes!

:evilgrin:
dbt

[izzie]

2. Dis not we do this in Nam? Go to the next country?

n/t