Russian, U.S. President discuss Iran’s nuclear program
15.11.2009 16:26 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. President Barack Obama said Sunday time was
running out for diplomacy to resolve a crisis over Iran’s nuclear
program, but Russian President Dmitry Medvedev offered softer
criticism of Tehran.
The United States had been willing to give Iran time to decide whether
to accept a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it is after
atomic bombs but which has drawn Iranian objections, a U.S. diplomat
said a week ago.
Sunday Obama, speaking after talks with Medvedev on the sidelines of
an Asia-Pacific meeting in Singapore, suggested patience was running
low.
"Unfortunately, so far at least, Iran appears to have been unable to
say yes to what everyone acknowledges is a creative and constructive
approach," Obama said while seated next to Medvedev. "We are running
out of time with respect to that approach."
Repeating previous Russian language, Medvedev said "other means" could
be used if discussions did not yield results, but did not specify what
they might be.
"Thanks to joint efforts the process of (the Iran talks) has not
stopped but we are not completely happy about its pace. If something
does not work there are other means to move the process further," he
said.
"Our aim is clear – a transparent nuclear program rather than a
program which causes others’ concern."
In talks with six powers in Geneva on October 1, Iran had agreed in
principle to send the bulk of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and
France for further processing and conversion into fuel plates for the
Tehran reactor, Western officials said.
The plan for Iran to part with stocks of potential nuclear explosive
material in exchange for fuel to keep a nuclear medicine facility
running has subsequently stumbled on Iranian calls for amendments and
more talks, which Washington has rejected, Reuters reported.