Gates: US Wants Iran Answer on Nuclear Talks by September

July 27, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RPRN) 7/27/2009--U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Obama administration hopes Iran will respond to an offer for talks on its nuclear program soon. Gates spoke in Israel, where he is discussing Iran's nuclear ambitions with top officials. He said Washington hopes Iran will answer the diplomatic overture in time for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Standing alongside Gates, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel is taking no options off the table regarding Iran's nuclear program, indicating a military strike remains a possibility. But Mr. Barak said the priority now should be given to diplomacy.

While in Israel, Gates is also meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. envoy George Mitchell held talks with Mr. Barak on Sunday and meets Mr. Netanyahu on Tuesday.

Gates and Mitchell are on separate trips in the Middle East as part of a U.S. push for peace in the region.

After talks in Syria Sunday, Mitchell said U.S. President Barack Obama is determined to facilitate a comprehensive peace between Israel and all its Arab neighbors.

The American diplomat said resuming peace negotiations between Syria and Israel is a "near-term goal."

Syria suspended peace talks with Israel after Israel launched a military offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas last December.

The U.S. special envoy to the Middle East is now in Egypt to discuss the stalled Middle East peace process with President Hosni Mubarak. He will then travel to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Mitchell's agenda includes pressing Israel to halt Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank and disputed East Jerusalem.

Israel has rejected U.S. demands for a total freeze on settlement construction, souring relations with Washington. But Prime Minister Netanyahu has downplayed the disagreement.

U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones is also traveling to the Middle East this week. He is leading a delegation to Israel and the West Bank that is scheduled to arrive in the region Tuesday.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

Click here to see all news from this author/company

About the author:

Voice of America. The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. Government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Filed Under: World News, BREAKING NEWS, Featured, Article-byline, U.S.A. Government, Iran

RUSH PR NEWS newswire and press release services at rushprnews.com / Anne Howard annehowardpublicist.com

Content- Legal Responsibility - All material is copyrighted - You may repost but you MUST link back to the original post on your page and acknowledge Rush PR News as the news source. Rush PR News is not legally and/or morally responsible for content of press releases, opinions expressed or fact-checking.

Rush PR News cannot be held legally responsible for material published and distributed through its newswire service or published in its press-room and therefore cannot be sued for published material. Third-party must be contacted directly to dispute content.

Rush PR News is not the contact for material published.

Please leave your comments here

PRESS & SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASES

Clothing and Wine Deals for Top Stores on a Budget with Latest DiscountVouchers.co.uk Offers

London, UK 05/24/12 · Consumer deals site sources new vouchers for money...