US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday that the
United States and the international community want an answer from
Iran about whether it accepts the package presented to it on how to
resolve the nuclear standoff.
"We need an answer, the international community needs an answer
so we know if, in fact, the negotiating track is going to bear
fruit," Rice said after meeting with visiting Italian Foreign
Minister Massino D'Alema.
Rice admitted that there have been some "positive" statements
from the Iranian side.
The United States has called on Iran to give a "definite"
response on whether it accepts the package presented to it by the
six countries including the five permanent members of the United
Nations Security Council.
Iran sent out mix messages on Thursday over the nuclear package.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to give up
its nuclear program, but President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while in
Shanghai, said Iran was ready to negotiate over the nuclear
standoff.
The United States has urged Iran to accept the offer, or the
nuclear issue will go to the United Nations Security Council for
sanctions on Iran.
(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2006)
