. . .
Q You're aware of reports today out of Vienna, people saying that you guys are now considering possible incentives to Iran to stop its uranium enrichment activities. I'm just wondering if you can say, A, whether it's true, whether it's correct that you are doing that; B, if there are in fact talks this week here on that issue; and C, if there are, why the change or why is there an appearance of a change from your insistence that it go to the Security Council?
MR. BOUCHER: No, yes, and no. (Pause.) Okay, more detail.
Q No, there isn't; yes, there is a meeting, and -- ?
MR. BOUCHER: First, I think we have to start with the basic fact, is that the United States, the governments of the United Kingdom, France and Germany as well as other members of the G-8 and indeed the international community share the objective of ending Iran's program to build the capability of producing fissile material for nuclear weapons. And we have been working with those governments in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors to try to move this forward, try to get Iran to comply with the requirements of the Board of Governors.
The Board of Governors has passed five resolutions since September 2003 calling on Iran to cooperate fully with the agency's ongoing investigation, to ratify promptly safeguard strengthening, additional protocol, and to suspend immediately all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. The most recent resolution, the one we adopted on September 18th, also made clear that Iran must heed these requirements before the International Atomic Energy Agency Board meets again in November.
So what we're doing now is to examine how to get Iran to meet those requirements. The Europeans, as I think you've seen the reporting of their meetings that they had Monday with the General Affairs and External Relations Council, have said that they are discussing how to get Iran to comply with the requirements and indeed with the promises that Iran had previously made to some of these European nations.
We are having a meeting on Friday with G-8 partners and something called Senior Officials Group of the G-8. Basically for our part it will be Glyn Davies, deputy assistant secretary in our European Bureau, and Undersecretary for Technology (sic) John Bolton, who will meet with European counterparts, with G-8 counterparts.
(To staff) What do I have -- right? "T." What does "T" stand for?
STAFF: Arms control.
MR. BOUCHER: Arms control. Undersecretary for arms control. Sorry. He's known in the building as "T," which stands for arms control.
The undersecretary, John Bolton, will be meeting with them along with representatives of the European Bureau. And since the Europeans have been discussing how to get the Iranians to comply, we look forward to hearing their ideas about how to move forward.
I think it's important to remember the United States has always felt and continues to feel very strongly that Iran's history of covert activity, Iran's history of developing programs that are designed to produce nuclear weapons requires that this matter be referred to the U.N. Security Council for action. And so one of the things we'll discuss on Friday is to hear from the Europeans about their ideas about how to get Iran to comply with the requirements, and we also would expect to discuss what to do -- what the next steps might be were we to refer this to the U.N. Security Council.
Q But I don't understand. How did you get from the point where -- I mean, it has been your position that it's not a question of how to get Iran to comply, how to induce them to comply, it's just simply that they should comply, they have to, they must comply. Why -- I don't -- when did --
MR. BOUCHER: Making clear to Iran that they have to comply is one way of getting them to comply. I mean, the point is to get Iranian (compliance ?).
Q You just said that there have been five separate resolutions since September 2003.
MR. BOUCHER: And the Iranians haven't done it. And so the last resolution said that they must heed the requirements and requests of the resolution before the council -- before the Board of Governors meets again in November. So that's what we're focusing on and that's what the Europeans are focusing on, how to get the Iranians to comply with those resolutions before the board meets again in November. The United States position has been and remains that this matter deserves -- needs to be referred to the U.N. Security Council.
Q So you're not willing to consider or to acquiesce to any potential incentives that the Europeans or your other partners in the G-8 might offer?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the Europeans have already -- always made clear that the relationship between Iran and the European Union was hampered and was held back by Iran's behavior on this and other matters.
So I suppose that is a point they will continue to make to the Iranians, but I'd refer you to them for an understanding of their discussions.
Q No, I'm asking what the U.S. position is --
MR. BOUCHER: Our position is, this matter just needs to be referred to the U.N. Security Council.
Q Can you just --
Q Well, Richard, some of the reporting out there suggests that you want to circumvent the Security Council in an effort that, if Iran doesn't cooperate, that there would be kind of a set of various countries imposing unilateral sanctions, whereas some members of the Security Council might veto such sanctions. But are you saying that you're committed to -- are you --
MR. BOUCHER: Our view is, this matter needs to be referred to the Security Council. Now that doesn't prevent countries from taking steps, nor does it prevent -- one of the issues that we think does need to be discussed is how the Security Council could deal with the issue, or it to be referred there.
Q I take it you're not willing to say whether the U.S. thinks that incentives are a good idea in this context.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't think at this point it's a matter for us to address. The Europeans have been talking about their approach, their package, their discussions that they intend to have with the Iranians about what they might say. And they, as I said, have always made clear that there are certain aspects, certain benefits in the EU relationship with Iran that wouldn't happen without Iranian compliance.
So we'll hear what they've put together. We'll hear them out and talk together with them about how to move Iran into compliance with the board of governors' requirements or what to do if the matter needs to be referred to the United Nations.
Q But Richard, is it two separate matters? Is it one? What -- you're saying that it's okay for the Europeans if they want to discuss possible incentives for the Iranians, but as far as the U.S. is concerned, there would never be incentives on the table.
MR. BOUCHER: I think you'll have to check with the Europeans as far as what their -- you know, what their package will involve, whether it's anything new or whether it's just the -- what they've always made clear: that there were certain benefits in the relationship that wouldn't happen without action by Iran on nuclear and other matters.
As for the United States' position, I think we've made very, very clear that Iran needs to take action on the nuclear issue. Our view is that it should be referred to the U.N. Security Council. That's where we think the next steps are.
Q Right, but you could also -- I mean, that's the stick. There could also be potential carrots that are dangled out there. And are you saying that it's -- in U.S. eyes, that's not something that would be on the table?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not here to dangle anything today, no.
Q But are you saying that the U.S. would not provide any incentives; what the Europeans want to do is their own prerogative?
MR. BOUCHER: No. We're -- they're going to come and tell us what kind of package and discussions they've been having, and we'll hear them out. We'll see what they have today. We'll have a discussion. We'll have -- I think the simplest description I can give you of Friday's meetings is a chance to share ideas about how to bring Iran into compliance with the requirements of the IAEA board of governors and to share ideas about how the Security Council might take up the issue, should it be referred to the Security Council.
Q Richard, it sounds like the same old same old. Why do you need to meet here in Washington --
MR. BOUCHER: I didn't write the news story saying there was great new stuff out there.
Q No, but why? Why do you need to meet with your European counterparts here --
MR. BOUCHER: Because we have been discussing these matters, the matter of Iran, with the Europeans on a very consistent basis, very thoroughly, all along.
It's been a subject of close consultation at all levels. Undersecretary Bolton, as you know, goes frequently to Europe, discusses Iran with his counterparts. The secretary of State frequently discusses it with his counterparts. It was a subject of discussion at the G-8 meeting that they held in New York when the secretary was up for the U.N. And the G-8 discussed this matter of how to get Iran to comply. And those discussions are on a continuing basis. We have facing us, facing Iran, the need to comply before the November meeting. And as we approach that date ourselves, we're going to keep in touch with them, talk to them, about how we can face that issue together, make sure the Iranians understand the need to comply.
Q Richard, is it the U.S. position that regardless of what Iran does between now and November 25th, it should be referred to the Security Council?
MR. BOUCHER: The U.S. position is that Iran's past behavior merits referral to the U.N. Security Council.
Q But regardless of what they do between now and then, you want --
MR. BOUCHER: The position is that it merits referral to the Security Council. I'm not going to predict at this point that Iran will or will not do anything --
Q Exactly.
MR. BOUCHER: -- but past experience would indicate they won't.
Q I'm not asking -- right. Okay. Well, fair enough. But I mean, without predicting anything, just right now, you think --
MR. BOUCHER: Right now our position is that this needs to be referred to the U.N. Security Council.
Q And you don't see -- then that won't change.
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not looking to change that, no.
Q No, but your point is that regardless of what Iran does between now and the 25th --
MR. BOUCHER: You're asking me to predict the future.
Q -- its past behavior --
MR. BOUCHER: Merits --
Q -- its behavior merits --
MR. BOUCHER: Its past behavior merits referral to the U.N. Security Council.
Q So no matter what, you want it to go to the Security Council.
MR. BOUCHER: Its past behavior merits referral to the Security --
Q So is it correct that no matter what, you want it to go to the Security --
MR. BOUCHER: It's correct to say that its past behavior merits referral to the Security Council. The only point is, I -- this has been our position for every meeting that we've had so far. That is our position going into November. I'm sure it will be our position, and that's as best I can answer your question.
Q Well, I mean -- (inaudible) -- a straightforward answer. I know that your position is that it should be. It's past time --
MR. BOUCHER: I'm just saying it my way instead of your way.
Q Okay.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't see much difference.
Q Oh, so I'm not wrong in saying that, then?
Q (Chuckles.)
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not wrong in saying what I say. You can account for your own words.
Yeah?
Q Can we move on?
MR. BOUCHER: Yeah.