Bush won't negotiate with Iran so he sent this Spanish guy to do it for him

[NNN0LHI]

http://english.people.com.cn/200609/02/eng20060902_298998.html

U.S. denies reported mediation between U.S., Iran

The United States denied reports Friday that former Spanish leader Felipe Gonzalez played a mediating role in the nuclear standoff between Washington and Tehran when he met with Iranian leaders this week.

"I am not aware of any mediation efforts," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a news briefing.

McCormack said that the United States would not negotiate with Iran unless Iran complies with a UN Security Council resolution demanding that it halt uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities.

Gonzalez, prime minister of Spain from 1982 to 1996, met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this week as part of broader European efforts to convince Iran to freeze its enrichment program.

[MADem]

1. It's unlikely the State press wonk would be cut in on a deal between

Monkey and Gozalez. But hey, plausible deniability!!!

"I am not aware of any mediation efforts," is a different kettle of fish than "No mediation efforts are taking place."

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. "I am not aware of any particular crimes going on."

:sheesh:

[pinto]

3. I'm glad *somebody's* talking to him.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Why do we have to hear about this from a Chinese paper though?

Thats kind of ironic isn't it?

Don

[pinto]

5. Yeah, it is. If accurate, makes some sense, though (to hear it from

a Chinese media source). The Chinese and Russians are probably the two countries with the most access to Iran on this issue.

[MADem]

7. Not at all, really.

Look at it from a POLITICAL point of view. It does not DO for any admissions of this sort to take place in America, and so long as they deny, there's no story for American papers to cover.

The dunce and his GOP are ALREADY on the ropes. The ones sticking with him are the religious fundies (though less enthusiastic), the genuinely stupid, the racists, and the warmongers.

This latter group, the warmongers, along with the "let's go rapture but we need Israel first" fundies would be HUGELY disappointed if they knew the Monkey actually had a card on the table to AVOID war. They just might stay home in November if they knew that sort of thing was happening.

Thus, ya gotta keep the discussions on the Q-T.

[Lexingtonian]

6. if trends continue

Dubya is going to have send his mommie to Teheran to whine for him.