WESTERN EUROPE

OFFICIALS UPBEAT AFTER NUCLEAR TALKS WITH TEHRAN

GENEVA – Officials negotiating Iran’s nuclear future left the table in an upbeat mood yesterday, with Tehran renewing its vow to refrain from developing nuclear weapons and signaling it will pursue talks with Europe toward a final agreement on its atomic program. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and other key European ministers met for three hours with Iranian negotiators under an implied threat that Tehran could be brought before the U.N. Security Council to face possible international sanctions over its suspected nuclear activities. After the meeting, Mr. Straw said Iran had “reaffirmed its commitment not to seek to develop nuclear weapons. The freeze of the enrichment program will continue until an agreement is reached.” Iran also agreed to more talks this summer and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rowhani, said, “We believe following the discussions today we could come to a final agreement within a reasonably short time.” Yesterday’s talks were held after the E.U. warned that it was moving toward the American position that Tehran should face a Security Council showdown. America has demanded since last year that Iran face sanctions for its nuclear program – but up to now the E.U. has used enticements instead.

– Associated Press

MIDDLE EAST

ABBAS WANTS TO PUSH BACK ELECTIONS

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Palestinian Arab leader Mahmoud Abbas wants to postpone parliamentary elections until November, hoping to recapture some of the popular support his ruling Fatah party has lost, officials said yesterday. Two Palestinian Arab officials close to Mr. Abbas, who is in America for talks with President Bush, confirmed the Palestinian leader is looking to push back the July 17 vote by four months. The delay could inflame tensions between Fatah and the Islamic militant group, already high over disputed results in a recent round of local elections in which Hamas had a strong showing. Hamas, which is running for the first time in legislative elections, has objected to a delay because it would give Mr. Abbas more time to try to score concrete achievements in his faltering reform and peacemaking agenda. But with Israel’s planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip to start in mid-August, Hamas might acquiesce to the election delay with little real resistance.

– Associated Press

CAUCASUS

PIPELINE OPENS, REDUCING WEST’S RELIANCE ON MIDEAST OIL

SANGACHAL, Azerbaijan – The presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey pulled orange levers yesterday to send the first flow of Caspian Sea crude into a $3.2 billion pipeline seen as key to reducing the West’s reliance on Middle East oil. By year’s end, the 1,100-mile pipeline is to ship up to 1 million barrels a day to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. President Bush, whose administration is seeking to diversify energy sources, said in a letter read at the ceremony by Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman that the pipeline “opens a new era in the Caspian Basin’s development.” “The United States has consistently supported [the pipeline] because we believe in the project’s ability to bolster energy security, strengthen participating countries’ energy diversity, enhance regional cooperation and expand international investment opportunities,” Mr. Bush’s letter said. The American-backed pipeline realizes several crucial goals for Washington, including reducing dependence on Russian pipelines and avoiding Iran. While the pipeline crosses areas plagued by separatist conflicts, raising security concerns, the countries hope it will be a catalyst for calm and prosperity as well.

– Associated Press