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FACTBOX: World powers incentives package to Iran

Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:11am EDT
 
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(Reuters) - World powers handed Iran a package of incentives on Saturday to try and persuade it to suspend nuclear work the West fears is aimed at developing bombs, a charge Tehran denies.

The package -- agreed by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- says formal negotiations on the offer can start as soon as Iran suspends uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military purposes.

The incentives package is a revised version of an offer spurned by Iran in 2006, which included civilian nuclear cooperation as well as wider trade in aircraft, energy, high technology and agriculture.

Iran has repeatedly rejected U.N. demands to halt enriching uranium, which can be used as fuel for power plants or provide material for weapons if refined much more.

Here are excerpts from an accompanying letter from the foreign ministers of the six powers addressed to Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, followed by key points from the incentives package, called Possible Areas of Cooperation with Iran.

LETTER FROM SIX POWERS' FOREIGN MINISTERS TO IRAN:

"We ... are convinced that it is possible to change the present state of affairs. We hope that Iran's leaders share the same ambition.

Iran is, of course, free to suggest its own proposals. Formal negotiations can start as soon as Iran's enrichment-related and reprocessing activities are suspended. We want to be clear that we recognize Iran's rights under the international treaties to which it is a signatory. We fully understand the importance of a guaranteed fuel supply for a civilian nuclear program.

But with rights come responsibilities, in particular to restore the confidence of the international community in Iran's program. We are ready to work with Iran in order to find a way to address Iran's needs and the international community's concerns, and reiterate that once the confidence of the international community in the exclusively peaceful nature of your nuclear program is restored, it will be treated in the same manner as that of any Non-Nuclear Weapon State party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

We ask you to consider this letter and our proposals carefully ... The proposals we have made offer substantial opportunities for political, security and economic benefits to Iran and the region. There is a sovereign choice for Iran to make. We hope that you will respond positively; this will increase stability and enhance prosperity for all our people."

INCENTIVES PACKAGE OFFERED TO IRAN:

"... the elements below are proposed as topics for negotiations ... as long as Iran verifiably suspends its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities ...

For their part (the six powers) state their readiness:

- to recognize Iran's right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its NPT (non-proliferation treaty) obligations."

The package is then divided into a number of areas:

NUCLEAR ENERGY  Continued...

 

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