TURKEY tr-diplomacy

Iran not cooperating, Clinton tells Turkey

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News | 5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | ÜMİT ENGİNSOY

Tehran is not cooperating with the rest of the world on its nuclear program and is merely seeking to delay international sanctions, Hilary Clinton told Turkey's FM Thursday.

Tehran is not cooperating with the rest of the world on its nuclear program and is merely seeking to delay international sanctions, the U.S. secretary of state told Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call is widely seen as an effort to fend off a Turkish-Brazilian call for more negotiations on Iran’s controversial energy program.

"The secretary spoke this morning with Davutoğlu regarding Iran. During the call, the secretary stressed that, in our view, Iran’s recent diplomacy was an attempt to stop Security Council action without actually taking steps to address international concerns about its nuclear program," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington late Thursday.

"There’s nothing new and nothing encouraging in Iran’s recent statements. It has failed to demonstrate good faith and build confidence with the international community," Crowley said, according to a State Department transcript.

Speaking to Davutoğlu, Clinton reportedly said, "The burden is with Iran, and its lack of seriousness about engagement requires us to intensify efforts to apply greater pressure on Iran," according to Crowly.

The U.S. remarks came on the eve of a planned visit to Tehran by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. U.S. officials said Clinton was expected to give a similar message to Brazil's foreign minister.

Iran is seeking to use such visits to gain time to prevent the United Nations Security Council from endorsing fresh and crippling sanctions, according to U.S. officials.