Iran signals will accept Turkish role for uranium

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's response to a question over a new U.N.-backed offer requiring the country to ship enriched uranium to Turkey signals a possible agreement to the deal by the Islamic Republic.

Relations between Iran and Turkey are in good shape and the two neighbors trust each other, Ahmedinejad told reporters during a press conference in Istanbul late on Monday.

Earlier news reports had said Tehran had rejected the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei’s proposal for the enriched uranium reserves to be shipped to Turkey as a third destination. The Iranian president, however, said both countries were cooperating with no problems.

In a new offer to Iran, the director-general of the Vienna-based IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Nov. 8 that Iran’s enriched uranium could be transferred to Turkey until Russia supplies Tehran with highly enriched uranium. The IAEA head said he had proposed Turkey as the third-country destination because Iran had rejected an earlier suggestion that its enriched uranium get sent to Russia for further enrichment to reactor-grade fuel.

“Iran has a lot of trust in Turkey,” ElBaradei said, adding that the Obama administration would agree with the proposal because the U.S. is “very comfortable with Turkey.”

A day after ElBaradei’s remarks, a senior Iranian official said his country is unwilling to ship uranium abroad. He added that such an offer had been made by the IAEA chief before and was rejected by Iran. The New York Times reported that Iranians proposed the IAEA take custody of the country’s uranium, but keep it on Kish, a Gulf resort island that is part of Iran.

Ankara ready to facilitate, says Gül

Turkish President Abdullah Gül expressed hope Monday for “concrete and positive” results on the proposal package and said Ankara was ready to “play a facilitative role.” Iran-Turkey relations are based on the policy of non-interference in each country’s domestic affairs, he added.

The Turkish president reiterated his country’s position on Iran’s nuclear program, saying the issue would be resolved through negotiations and diplomatic channels.

The Turkish option for Iran’s enriched uranium was also discussed by officials from the two countries Monday at a meeting of leaders of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, or OIC, in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said in an interview.

When asked how Turkey views the plan, Davutoğlu said Turkey “always wants to help” resolve disputes, but did not elaborate.

Ahmadinejad also announced Monday that dialogue and cooperation were the only ways to resolve the dispute over his country’s nuclear agenda which he termed a “natural right.” The Iranian president also accused Western countries of treating Iran’s nuclear drive in a political manner, arguing that certain countries had “sided against Iran because they want to rule the whole world.”

While commenting on claims that Turkey has shifted its course eastward, Ahmadinejad said Turkey can establish relations with countries in line with its national interests, adding that putting limitations on such a large country would not be right.

Describing Turkey as the oldest country and a cradle of civilization and culture, Ahmadinejad said it is in the European Union’s best interests to admit Turkey into the 27-member bloc. Turkey’s accession to the EU would bring prestige to the union, he said.

The Iranian president said the two countries have signed many agreements, particularly on energy and natural gas, adding that all agreements should be implemented for the prosperity of both nations.

Along with 11 leaders from Islamic countries, Ahmadinejad participated in the economic summit held in Istanbul on the sidelines of the 25th session of the OIC’s Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation, or COMCEC. The committee was established during the Third Islamic Summit Conference held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 1981 and became operational at the Fourth Islamic Summit in 1984 with the election of the president of Turkey as its chairman.

The committee aims to develop economic and commercial cooperation among its 57 member states and three observer members.

-----

Compiled from AA, AFP and Bloomberg stories by the Daily News staff.