Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Nuke deal: World powers, Iran reach crucial framework
Published in Ahram Online on 02 - 04 - 2015

After marathon negotiations, the United States, Iran and five other world powers announced an agreement Thursday outlining limits on Iran's nuclear program to block it from developing atomic weapons and directing negotiators toward a final accord this summer.
The United States and Iran each hailed the framework, reached by weary but upbeat diplomats after a week of intense diplomacy in Switzerland that capped 18 months of negotiations. Speaking from the White House, President Barack Obama called it a "good deal" that would address concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Crucially for the Iranians, it also would provide them broad relief over time from international sanctions that have crippled their economy.
Still, critics in both nations as well as wary U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia were likely to oppose the "plan of action" because of concessions allowing Iran to maintain significant elements of a program that could be used to produce either energy or nuclear arms.
"I am convinced that if this framework leads to a final comprehensive deal, it will make our country, our allies and our world safer," Obama declared. "It is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives."
In the Swiss city of Lausanne, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif read out a joint statement hailing what they called a "decisive step" after more than a decade of work. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the top diplomats of Britain, France and Germany took the stage behind them.
Kerry defended America's compromises. "Simply demanding that Iran capitulate makes a nice sound bite, but it is not a policy, it is not a realistic plan," he said. Still, he said that "many technical details" must be ironed out.
Negotiators from the nations involved — including Russia and China — will now start writing the text of a final accord. Mogherini cited several agreed-upon restrictions on Iran's enrichment of uranium, a core concern because the material can be used in a nuclear warhead. She said a planned heavy water reactor in Iran wouldn't produce weapons-grade plutonium and work at a deeply buried underground facility at Fordo wouldn't involve uranium.
Economic sanctions related to Iran's nuclear programs are to be rolled back after the U.N. nuclear agency confirms compliance.
Zarif told reporters the agreement would show "our program is exclusively peaceful, has always been and always will remain exclusively peaceful," while not hindering the country's pursuit of atomic energy for civilian purposes.
"We will continue enriching," he said. "We will continue research and development." He said the heavy water reactor would be "modernized."
"We have taken a major step but are still some way away from where we want to be," Zarif said, calling Thursday's preliminary step a "win-win outcome." He voiced hope that a final agreement might pave the way for a broader easing of suspicion between the U.S. and Iran, which haven't had diplomatic relations since the 1979 overthrow of the shah and subsequent U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran.
The leaders spoke following weeklong talks that were twice extended past a March 31 deadline for a preliminary deal. Negotiators worked concurrently on documents describing what needs to be done for the final agreement.
The U.S. and its five partners want to curb Iran's nuclear technologies so the country cannot develop weapons. Tehran denies such ambitions but is negotiating because it wants economic sanctions to be lifted.
The final breakthrough came a day after a flurry of overnight sessions between Kerry and Zarif, and meetings involving the six powers.
Zarif said the all-night negotiation at such a senior level was "probably a record." Iran has no intention of violating an agreement it has put so much effort into crafting, he said.
Israeli leaders, deeply concerned about Iran's intentions, were much less positive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a final agreement "must significantly roll back Iran's nuclear capabilities and stop its terrorism and aggression."
The Obama administration also faces strong domestic pressure. Critics in Congress are threatening to impose new sanctions over what they believe is a bad deal taking shape.
In the Rose Garden, Obama said the issues at stake are "bigger than politics."
"These are matters of war and peace, and they should be evaluated based on the facts," he said.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/126782.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.