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Iran says some parts of incentive deal `acceptable'

Iran finds parts of a Western incentives package aimed at making a breakthrough in the nuclear dispute "acceptable," but some other parts should be removed, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday.

Hamid Reza Asefi also said Iran was not stalling by taking time to respond to the package, which was presented to it last week and promises US and European nuclear help if Iran suspends its uranium enrichment program.

"We started studying the package the moment it was presented to us," Asefi told reporters. "There are points which are acceptable. There are points which are ambiguous. There are points that we believe should be strengthened, and points that we believe should not exist."

US President George W. Bush said on Friday that Iran will have weeks, not months to decide whether to accept the proposals or face the prospect of penalties.

Asefi insisted that "no deadline has been given. A deadline doesn't exist," but he added that Iran "is not seeking to buy time."

"We have to evaluate it. We will use our time as long as is necessary," Asefi said. "We will give our views in response to the package and we will offer our proposals."

Asefi did not elaborate on which parts he was referring to. But his comments reflected Iran's intention to seek changes in the offer. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday that his country would present a counteroffer -- either a various of the package or an entirely new proposal. He did not provide details on Iran's proposals or say when they might be presented.

Meanwhile, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, met yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss Tehran's position. Larijani was to hold further talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.

The package put forward by the Western powers aims to restart negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

It included some significant concessions by the US aimed at enticing Tehran to freeze enrichment. The US would provide Iran with peaceful nuclear technology, lift some sanctions and join direct negotiations with Tehran.

The package also pulls back from demands that Iran outright scrap its enrichment program as an initial condition for negotiations, seeking instead a suspension. However, it also contains the implicit threat of UN sanctions if Iran remains defiant.

When presented with the proposal's details last Tuesday, Iran said they contain "positive steps" but also ambiguities, which it said had to be cleared up in further talks. It said it would study the package before announcing its stance.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who presented the offer to Tehran, said he expected a reply within "weeks."

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