Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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v Iran confirms nuclear ambitions despite U.S. diplomatic overtures A y NASSER KARIMI • 3 HE ASSOCIATED PRESS fT TEHRAN, Iran — Iran scoffed at Z '.S. incentives aimed at coaxing le Islamic republic to drop its ,n uclear ambitions and declared ,ii/3 iturday that Washington’s iis /ertures did nothing to change ::1 ehran’s plans to push ahead with ■n s nuclear program. -A An Iranian envoy in Europe, - ->w owever, acknowledged in i -tard ily positive terms that there ™ tp> PI to be a “new awakening” fj i Washington. . r\ Foreign Ministry spokesman mj lamid Reza Asefi said neither i-v treats nor incentives would alter i'ri an’s determination to develop yjt eaceful nuclear technology, hs Washington insists Tehran’s ,*ii ranium enrichment program is jit esigned to build a nuclear eapon, not merely to provide an • -ns ternative energy source. > T Tehran issued its defiant i/q. tsponse a day after the Bush in iministration softened its stance n how to thwart Iran’s nuclear !ov evelopment and agreed to qq rpport a European plan that ffers economic incentives for Iran ' s > give up any weapons ambitions. gff The U.S. concessions, nt ^^:ed by Secretary of State it ionuoieezza Rice, include an end A ) American opposition to Iran’s ■iq pplication for membership in the No World Trade Organization and a an artial lifting of the ban on sales of jiti )me spare parts for Iran’s civilian bio- ircraft. Rice signaled that Iran jo tould quickly accept or face the a! treat of harsh United Nations ><»3 ecurity Council sanctions. >A Asefi said Rice’s offer was no tail fferatall. i'“ “The restrictions on spare parts rs tat have no military purpose i:io tould have not been- imposed :om the beginning, and lifting ms tern is not an incentive,” state-run '>d tdio quoted Asefi as saying, gi he said, “joining the WTO ■r ; tvious right of any country -,ll t trie world.” V Washington previously had tsisted Iran deserved no reward for qir imply abiding by an international ■m rms compact that forbids nuclear iK weapons development. ,,1 Iranian President Mohammad LESLIE MAZOCH/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami, left, speaks as Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez listens on. The photo was taken at a news conference and the conclusion of Khatami’s visit to Venezuela, at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia. Khatami arrived in Venezuela Thursday for a three-day visit aimed at strengthening political ties and signing accords to share technology, cooperate in oil and gas projects and open a joint-venture plant to build tractors. Khatami, who was in Caracas, Venezuela, on a three-day visit, said his country is ready “to cooperate with the world to give more certainty that Iran is not moving toward the creation of nuclear arms” but insisted it has a right to nuclear technology. “Now it is different than in the last century, when the great powers could have all (technology) exclusively,” said Khatami, who held talks with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and signed a series of commercial accords. “We have to be strong to strike (back) ... to defend ourselves from the dangers of those who want to invade us,” Khatami said, without elaborating. State Department spokesman Lou Fintor said Saturday the United States concerned about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “The burden is on Iran to demonstrate to the entire international community, by eliminating all enrichment activity and other steps, that Iran’s nuclear intentions are entirely peaceful,” he said in Washington. Asefi accused the United States of issuing false and “hypocritical” claims about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, and of pushing European Union negotiators closer toward Washington’s tougher stance. The Europeans have agreed to support the threat of U.N. sanctions if Iran fails to fulfill its obligations. But Sirous Nasseri, an Iranian envoy in Geneva, who spoke by telephone with The Associated Press in Vienna, described Rice’s announcement Friday as a “new awakening... (that) I believe would stand to benefit the United States more than anybody else.” He warned, however, against what he suggested were unrealistic expectations, saying nothing would result in Iran giving up its right to uranium enrichment. Iran suspended its enrichment activities .last year to build confidence for its negotiations with the Europeans and to avoid being referred to the Security Council for the possible imposition of sanctions. But Tehran says the voluntary freeze depends on progress in ongoing talks with Britain, Germany and France, who are negotiating on behalf of the European Union. The Europeans want an Iranian commitment to scrap uranium enrichment in exchange for economic aid, technical support and backing for Tehran’s efforts to join mainstream international organizations. Nasseri, a participant in the Geneva negotiations, also suggested the Europeans were leaning toward a compromise that could include monitored guarantees that the uranium being processed did not go beyond low grades adequate for fuel purposes without reaching higher levels that would make usable for making weapons. Associated Press reporters George Jahn in Vienna and Steve Gutterman in Moscow contributed to this report. I mmmamtmSm W ■ | DO YOU KNOW? USC's Office for Sexual Health & Violence m Prevention (SH&VP) j assists over 90 survivors > of sexual assault, relationship violence & stalking each year. For a complete overview of our annual statistics and USC's Sexual Assault * and Relationship Violence # Policies please go to USC's on-line Carolina Community Publication (Campus Safety - Annual Crime Comparisons) http://www.sa.sc.edu/ carolinacommuinty/ Office for Sexual Health & Violence Prevention Sexual Health Programs* Sexual Violence Services*Relationship Violence Services Thomson Student Health Center, Lower Level *777-8248 (after hours: 777-7619) http://www.sa.sc.edu/wellness Sexual Assault & Relationship Violence Highlighted Services: •Confidential 24-hour emergency crisis intervention services by on-call advocates, including accompaniment to local hospitals for rape protocol exam • Temporary "alternative housing" relocation for both on campus and off-campus students • Safety planning and options counseling, as well as referral to USC's Counseling & Human Development Center •Academic assistance such as letters to professors and assistance with extenuating circumstances documentation •Accompaniment and advocacy through the South Carolina Criminal Justice System & USC's Office of Student Judicial Programs Sexual Assault & Relationship Violence Response Team (SARV): • Did you know that USC has a multidisciplinary response team comprised of more than 12 departments across campus that meets monthly to seek ways to enhance our response to cases of sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking? • USC's Thomson Student Health Center - Women's Care Clinic provides medical care, emergency contraception and preventative antibiotic treatment for STDs to female survivors of sexual assault and the General Medical Clinic for male survivors. SH& VP Programs & Campaigns • Interpersonal violence reduction educational programs and annual campaigns, such as Sexual Assault - The Clothesline Project, Domestic Violence - These Hands Don't Hurt, and Stalking Awareness Month Campaigns • Mandatory sexual assault and relationship violence presentations in all University 101 classes > f i »