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| Iran's president says nuclear program is peaceful |
| Cites nation's right to pursue technology |
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| The Associated Press (apwire) |
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Published 2006-05-10 15:29 (KST) |
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Iran's president on Wednesday insisted that his country's nuclear program is peaceful and that it has every right to pursue new technology, amid international efforts to get Tehran to suspend enrichment of uranium.
Iran's nuclear program is ''totally peaceful,'' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said after meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta. He said Iran will ''absolutely not back out'' from defending its right to pursue new technology.
Ahmadinejad -- fighting a U.S.-led effort to bring United Nations sanctions down on Iran if it refuses to compromise on the nuclear standoff -- is in Indonesia for a three-day state visit followed by a development conference on the resort island of Bali.
The fiery Iranian leader raised hopes of a breakthrough with the United States just days ago by sending a letter to President George W. Bush, the first such letter to an American leader in 27 years.
But the letter was quickly dismissed by Washington.
Ahmadinejad said he was not ''disquieted'' by the reaction.
''If they choose not to answer our question, it depends on them,'' he said, adding that he felt it was the correct decision to send the letter.
Yudhoyono, speaking at a joint news conference after the two met for about 90 minutes, said he believes Iran is willing to resolve the issue peacefully through further negotiations, and offered to help mediate.
''Hopefully, in this very critical issue we can cooperate well in reducing the tensions,'' he said.
Yudhoyono also said he was hopeful Iran could continue dialogue with the International Atomic EnergyAgency or IAEA.
''There is still room for a peaceful and just solution,'' he said. ''President Ahmadinejad was more than willing to have a genuine and fair negotiation.'' The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, saying it aims only to generate energy.
The U.S. government is backing a draft U.N. resolution that could lead to sanctions and possible military action if Iran does not suspend uranium enrichment.
Ahmadinejad said his country has cooperated with international agencies, saying Iran has allowed ''2,000 man-hours'' of inspections by the IAEA.
He accused the United States of monopolizing the nuclear technology market to secure profits and at the same time engaging in non-peaceful proliferation.
But he also suggested that concerns raised over nuclear proliferation were merely an excuse to pressure his country, calling them ''a big lie.'' ''The Iranian people will reject the incorrect and wrong decisions taken by international agencies like the IAEA or the U.N. Security Council,'' he said.
Despite the international tempest, Ahmadinejad was expected to receive a friendly reception in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, but also enjoys good relations with the West.
Along with meeting Yudhoyono, he was to pay respects at the Heroes' Cemetery and visit two universities to talk to Muslim students, who often see him as a defiant leader standing up to the West.
He was to later fly to Bali for the so-called D-8, an annual conference on development in mostly Muslim countries and Nigeria.
Tehran hosted the conference last year.
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CHRIS BRUMMITT
JAKARTA, Indonesia |
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©2006 OhmyNews
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