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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on Iran's nuclear programme, November 17, 2005'U.S., Russian Presidents Discuss Iran, North Korea, Trade Talks', Washington File, November 18, 2005. Following is the White House transcript: THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING WITH NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR STEPHEN HADLEY Commodore Hotel 6:55 P.M. (Local) MR. HADLEY: The President had a meeting with President Putin. They talked a little bit about the state of the relationship between the two countries, noted that there's been an intensification of exchanges between the two sides. The two Presidents have met probably three times in the last six months. Secretary Rice was in Moscow; I've recently been in Moscow. So there is an intensive dialogue between representatives of the two governments and between the two Presidents, and both expressed satisfaction with that... Q: Did you sense any level of frustration with Russia in regards to Iran's enrichment program? MR. HADLEY: No. Russia has provided, as you know, a -- has taken the lead in a couple respects that have been very constructive. One, as you know, they are talking, and have for a number of years been talking to the Iranians about completing the Bushehr reactor, and as you know, this is not new news. They have reached an agreement with the Iranians for a number of steps that would reduce the proliferation risk that that reactor would represent, the most important of which being the take-back of fuel -- that Russia would supply the nuclear fuel that would power the reactor, and once the fuel was spent, it would be then returned to Russia. In order to try and get -- to move forward on the getting Iran back into the negotiations and a framework whereby Iran, while retaining its right to enrichment and reprocessing, would, nonetheless, find it in its interest to give up that right in terms of its own territory, the Russians have been pursuing an interesting idea which would be to construct an enrichment facility in Russia in which Iran would have management and financial interest, but not a technical interest. And it would be then the facility which could supply reactor fuel to the Bushehr reactor. It would give Iran a sense that it would have an assured fuel supply for its civil nuclear power program, because it would have management participation and financial participation in the venture, but it would have it off-shore in Russia, rather than in Iran. This is an interesting idea. The Iranians, probably not surprisingly, initially, have said, no, this is something that they want as a sovereignty exercise to have on their territory. We think it's an area for further conversation. So that was the focus, the things, the steps that Russia has done that have been very constructive in trying to lead Iran to a different path. Q: Perhaps I wasn't clear. I meant, did you sense any frustration on the Russians' part in their dealings with Iran? Weren't they guaranteed by Iran that they wouldn't enrich, and then they turn around a week later, started? Are the Russians getting frustrated with Iran? MR. HADLEY: Well, you know, this has been a difficult discussion and I think there's some frustration that the EU 3 -- the UK, Germany, and France -- have in dealing with Iran right now. We certainly have some frustrations. But they were very focused on a problem-solving mode. And the Russians -- President Putin talked about Igor Ivanov, who had just been in Iran, and gave a bit of a report. You know, they -- I think the notion is, yes, it's difficult, but we're going to keep at it and they're going to keep pushing this idea... Q: Steve, can I take you back to Iran for a minute? At the beginning of your briefing, you, I think, said that both men were convinced that Iran has a nuclear weapons program -- MR. HADLEY: No, I -- Q: -- or at least I -- that you referred to their weapons program. Is President Putin, at this point, persuaded that Iran's ultimate goal is to build a weapons program? MR. HADLEY: I think what I said is that the two men expressed the concern that we all have -- they have, the Russians have, the United States has, the EU 3 have -- that based on the fact that Iran had a nuclear program undisclosed for 15 years, held covertly, not disclosed to the IAEA, in violation of safeguards agreement, we all have concerns about the nuclear intentions of Iran. That's why we're in this negotiation; that's why we're talking about trying to get them out of the business of an enrichment and reprocessing capability. We all have that concern. And we also share the concern, and the two Presidents share the concern, that an Iran with a nuclear weapon is a destabilizing thing for the region. Q: On that point, Russia was among the countries that was recently briefed on the warhead information that the U.S. had. Did they indicate either in this meeting or in any other meetings you've had with them that they found this persuasive, or not? MR. HADLEY: Well, as you know, David, as we've talked about in the past, there have been reports about that. There's obviously -- that's classified information. I don't talk about it here. One of the things I can say generally is, we've been trying to share with countries who are taking the lead on the issue of Iranian nuclear aspirations, if you will. We have shared intelligence with them because we think it's important that we all have the same data. And that's been useful to do. So I think I've got to leave it at that. Q: Did the subject didn't come up specifically enough that he indicated that whatever data you have shared with him has changed his view in any way? MR. HADLEY: That particular subject was not discussed. Q: And one last thing, just on that point -- just finishing the loop on President Putin on this. You said that they've made this offer. And by virtue of the fact that President Putin was involved in the discussion, should we construe that if the Iranians took the offer on the table by the Russians that they would bring the enrichment out, that that would be acceptable to President Bush as a solution? MR. HADLEY: We have talked to the Russians about this, and we have supported their proposal. It has been something that the Russians have been talking to the EU3 -- the U.K., France and Germany -- who are taking the lead in the negotiations with the Iranians. They also support it. We think it's a good avenue to explore, and we've said so. Q: Good avenue to explore -- MR. HADLEY: Good avenue to explore -- Q: -- or acceptable to President Bush -- MR. HADLEY: If we didn't think it was acceptable, we probably wouldn't encourage it to be explored. Q: On the Putin meeting real quickly -- sorry -- you didn't mention the NGO issue. Can you describe what conversation there was on that? MR. HADLEY: This is an issue with a legislation that is pending in the Duma that regulates non-government organizations. This is an issue that we have raised with the Russian government officials in the past. Secretary Rice raised it when she was in Moscow; I raised it when I was in Moscow recently. It was a subject of discussion today. And as I say, that legislation is still pending, and I'm confident it will continue to be a subject of discussion with the Russian government. That's really all I can say on it. Q: What was the President's message on it? MR. HADLEY: That's really all I can say, Peter. Q: Why is that? MR. HADLEY: Because it's a confidential discussion between the two leaders, and sometimes there are issues which can more be -- productively be discussed outside of public view. Q: Two -- the first is, the Iranian compromise is a good avenue to explore -- the Iranians have rejected it. What's the next step on that? MR. HADLEY: Well, they've had a spokesman come out and reject it and insist it is a matter of sovereignty, they want this on their own territory. We think that doesn't end it, and that this will be an issue that we will return to with the Iranians, certainly now, and maybe again, as this issue unfolds going forward. So we think it remains to be a -- it remains a good idea and is a potential avenue out that respects Iranian sovereignty, and says, yes, we know you insist that you have a right to these facilities, but countries can decide that it's in their interest to take other alternative arrangements. And we hope that over time Iran will see the virtue of this approach, and it may provide a way out... Source: US Department of State, Washington File, http://usinfo.state.gov. © 2005 The Acronym Institute. |