Slate.fr: how America seized the initiative on the Iranian atom from Europe - ForumDaily
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Slate.fr: how America seized the initiative on the Iranian atom from Europe

The person managed to save. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced 2 in April in Lausanne to sign the framework agreement on the Iranian atom.

The fact is that this honor actually belongs to the Europeans. They are at the very beginning of the negotiations with Tehran, which have been going on since 2003 of the year. The fact that a compromise was nevertheless achieved (still to be fixed by June 30) is first of all their merit. Three European foreign ministers - Dominique de Villepin (France), Jack Straw (United Kingdom) and Joschka Fisher (Germany) - traveled on October 21 2003 to Tehran to meet the notorious Hassan Rouhani, who then served as secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security.

Their goal was to convince the Iranians to abandon the production of nuclear weapons, until Bush Jr., who barely finished the campaign in Iraq, did not use military force against them.

Unity strategy

The logic of the then “troika” was very simple. American intervention against Saddam Hussein caused a split in Europe. The French and Germans were against the war in Iraq. The British followed the American allies, but began to repent of it. Therefore, no new disagreements could be allowed if Bush and his neocon advisers decided to intervene in another “axis of evil” country. No, the heads of the three European diplomats did not at all underestimate the danger of the proliferation of nuclear weapons, which the Iranian program concealed. But they understood that their priority was preventive measures, especially in light of the revelations of the Iranian opposition, who told the public about the existence of a secret nuclear facility in Nettenz.

The initiative of the "troika" quickly reached the European level. In particular, this was due to the discontent of the Italians, who were furious after they were not taken with them to Tehran. The leadership of the negotiations was entrusted to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Javier Solana, and the Troika became the Troika-EU group.

All this time, the American leadership has shown a very weak interest in the European initiative. And they called what happened "vilpenizm."

This neologism is a reference to the fiery speech of Dominique de Villepin in the UN Security Council in February 2003, in which he attacked the American initiative in Iraq.

The Americans did not interfere with Europe, but did not count on its special success. If she had succeeded, they would also benefit from this, as their diplomatic ties with Iran were broken back in the 1980 year. If the Europeans were to fail, they would show that neither they nor Iranians can count on.

Perseverance

For five years, European diplomacy maintained ties with Tehran, despite all the difficulties. The Americans really became interested in negotiations only after the emergence of real prospects.

From the Iranian point of view, US participation was also key: Tehran was more interested in negotiations with the main American “shaitan” than with the European “shaitanians” with a smaller rank. Iran wanted to get from the United States recognition of its status as a regional power and return to the world economy.

During the negotiations with the Iranians, the Europeans often had the impression that they were only mediators or envoys. “As if speaking to us, the Iranians in fact appealed to the Americans,” says a participant in the then talks. “It’s as if you’re flirting over a cocktail with a woman who’s been looking at your shoulder the whole time to see who’s behind.”

The election of former revolution guards and mayor of Tehran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president has buried the European initiative.

The former European format has become a “six”: the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, which from the very beginning played an active role in the negotiations. At the same time, negotiations were still (at least officially) led by the heads of European diplomacy, Javier Solana, Catherine Ashton and, finally, Federica Mogherini.

Dialogue with the USA

In fact, much of the diplomatic work (especially in recent months) has been done in bilateral meetings between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart. These conversations often irritated Europeans, primarily the French, who are always sensitive about maintaining their rank and independence.

And everything rested not only in shape. After Barack Obama’s arrival at the White House, which has always adhered to the policy of the outstretched hand, the Europeans (and again the French) feared that the new US president would put the signing of the treaty with Iran above the protection of his principles. Before Obama had time to establish himself in a new place, Nicolas Sarkozy sent Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to him to urge him to show rigidity. After the election of Sarkozy himself, the French leader tightened his stance on the Iranian regime and began to adhere to more solid statements than his predecessor in this post.

Continuity

Francois Hollande adheres to the same line. He does not consider the agreement with Iran a supreme goal and is ready to suspect Barack Obama of weakness. That is why Laurent Fabius rejected the draft agreement in November 2013 of the year, even if one does not take into account the fact that John Kerry arrived in Geneva with a document that they had prepared for a couple with their Iranian counterpart without the participation of Europeans. Diplomats had to work a few more days to arrive at the option that suited all. The French, not without reason, believed that the new-found compromise between the Americans and the Iranians was not at all a sufficient guarantee of Tehran’s refusal to create an atomic bomb.

The restraint with which Paris responded to the current framework agreement only confirms its skepticism. In the Elysian Palace, they emphasized their desire to come to a reliable and durable treaty, making it clear that now there is no talk about it. Laurent Fabius speaks of the "interim agreement, which contains unconditional progress." Nevertheless, all "still have a lot of work to do." Such is the wisdom of more than a decade of negotiations, in which there was no less disappointment than hope.

In the U.S. USA Iran nuclear weapon Tehran EC Lousane
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