• Ashton has a BSc degree in sociology;
• Ashton has a life-sized Dalek (a fictional race of extraterrestrial mutants from the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who") in her sitting room;
• Ashton once served a the chairwoman of the Health Authority in Hertfordshire;
• Ashton once served as national treasurer in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which is suspected of having received funding from the former Soviet Union;
• Ashton had a relationship with a hard-line communist;
• Ashton has a history of implacable hostility to Israel.
Accordingly, it should come as no wonder that Ashton was chosen to manage the negotiations on behalf of the “P5+1” - the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany - with Iran concerning Tehran's ongoing nuclear weapons development program.
Sporting a new pants suit in Istanbul yesterday, Ashton beamed as she shook hands with Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator, Saeed Jalili.
After 10 hours of talks, characterized by Ashton as "constructive and useful," we learned that the P5 + 1 is willing to agree to continued Iranian nuclear enrichment activities and is not demanding that Iran's Fordo underground nuclear facility be dismantled. Moreover, there is a "sense" that Iran is prepared to temporarily halt uranium enrichment at the level of 20 percent in exchange for immediate lifting of some sanctions and the termination of others (see: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-demands-u-s-europe-hold-off-attack-as-long-as-nuclear-talks-continue-sources-say-1.424257).
The biggest achievement of these talks in Istanbul? Given the extreme urgency of getting down to brass tacks and quelling the concern that the mullahs could wield nuclear weapons in less than a year, the sides have agreed to meet again in Baghdad . . . . . . . in another month and a half.
Funny how there were those who thought that Iran might try to stall for time, but this could never happen with Catherine Ashton overseeing these talks.
Terrifying. Disgusting.
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