The US-Iran 'meeting' that never was

[CHIMO]

The G20 summit rather overshadowed the conference held in The Hague earlier in the week to discuss the future of Afghanistan. Well, it was supposed to be about Afghanistan – but as it turned out, it was more about "a possible close encounter" between Iran and the US. Even that aspect turned out to be no more than a hoax. Closely following the G20 in the "spin Olympics", the conference at The Hague was full of standing ovations for President Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan. Foreign minister after foreign minister read out proclamations of support for all that the US wants to do for Afghanistan.

Far ahead of them all, Hillary Clinton stood out as the star of the show. She had come with a message of reunification from President Obama to his cheerleaders. The cheers were for the "broad attendance" and the anticipated "success of co-operation between all the nations who have an interest in Afghanistan". This brought with it the promise of support for eradicating poverty and narcotics in Afghanistan and the dismantling of the machinery of terror with an additional 21,000 American troops. And, as a bonus, the promise of shaking hands with an "unclenched fist".

Over 200 journalists attended, but none could get close to any of the foreign ministers or diplomats from over 70 countries. In tight security conditions, all journalists were told to go down to a basement room and remain there until Clinton gave a press conference at 4:30. "Could we go anywhere near the politicians, please, to speak to them or interview them?" I asked. "I'm afraid you can't go to see the politicians," was the reply. Guards stood at every corner and every passageway to the main hall. "You can watch the entire conference on several screens provided in the basement," I was told. Some of us could go out and take photos and films of political celebrity arrivals, but for the most part we were to remain in the basement room. It was well-equipped and we were well-fed, but without access to the politicians, how could we write objective reports?

So I am not surprised that most journalists got it wrong when they reported on Iran-US "contact". Full-page reports in our most credible newspapers had photos of the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Mohammad Mehdi Akhundzadeh, who had supposedly had a meeting with the US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrook. In fact journalists in The Hague had no way of verifying whether a meeting had place or where it was held and at what time. We had no choice but to line up at 4:30 to see if Clinton announced it. She was about half an hour late, but when she finally appeared she was full of spin on how all countries had wholeheartedly supported the US strategy. She went on about how important it was to speak to the Taliban since "by best estimates the majority of Taliban are people who are not committed to fighting and terrorism". And how the US would be willing to offer them a "honourable reconciliation", helping them with "property ownership" and "employment".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/03/afghanistan-us-iran-hillary-clinton

[Prometheus Bound]

1. A bit embarrassing, that. Some more links.

AP: Senior U.S., Iranian officials meet at Afghanistan Conference
THE HAGUE (AP) -- The Obama administration held its first high-level contact with Iran's government here, marking what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said could become closer cooperation between Washington and Tehran on Afghanistan and other global hot spots.

The brief meeting, on the sidelines of a United Nations-sponsored conference on Afghanistan, involved Richard Holbrooke, the State Department's special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Medhi Akhundzadeh, Iran's deputy foreign minister.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=191375

Peace overtures made to Tehran by US
Geoff Elliott, Washington correspondent | April 02, 2009
Article from: The Australian

A THIRTY-YEAR stand-off between Washington and Tehran moved another notch towards engagement yesterday when two high-level envoys from each country had a "cordial" discussion on the sidelines of an Afghanistan conference at The Hague.

In a move prompting plenty of interest in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told journalists that senior US diplomat Richard Holbrooke had a brief meeting with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Akhundzadeh.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25276408-2703,00.html

Officials from Washington and Tehran Hold Informal Exchange
http://www.periodico26.cu/english/news_world/apr2009/iran-us040109.html

US says Iran-US encounter was “brief handshake”
Asked about the denial, State Department spokesperson, Gordon Duguid, said yesterday that the exchange was a “brief handshake”.

“To describe it as substantive or even, you know, lengthy would be inaccurate; that is true. It was an engagement for Mr. Holbrooke. So no, it was not a meeting. We agree with that,” he told reporters.
http://televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=3&id=8887

Iran-US encounter 'brief handshake'
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=90252§ionid=351020101

US says Iran-US encounter was “brief handshake”
http://televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=3&id=8887

AP Top News at 6:00 p.m. EDT
3 days ago
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran dismissed American government reports that senior U.S. and Iran envoys had a cordial — and promising — face-to-face exchange at an international conference, saying Wednesday that no "talks" took place. The competing accounts of Tuesday's encounter in the Netherlands appeared to reflect the different approaches to overtures to end the United States' and Iran's nearly 30-year diplomat standoff. Washington has seemed eager to build on President Barack Obama's surprise video message last month to seek engagement with Iran's ruling clerics. Iran has — in public, at least — been far cooler to making immediate contacts, but has not fully rejected some openings in the future.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g8-DEMtAE9q4i4ySQ0eV_qZefmRQD979U8VG0

Iran denies meeting with U.S. representative in The Hague
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN – Tehran on Wednesday dismissed a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Iran’s representative held “brief” talks with the U.S. representative on the sidelines of the international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague on Tuesday.

Clinton said Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, had a ""brief but cordial"" meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Akhondzadeh.

“There was no official or unofficial meeting or conversation between the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and America on the sidelines of the conference,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi told the Mehr News Agency.

Clinton also told reporters that Holbrooke and Akhondzadeh ""agreed to keep in touch"".

She also claimed the U.S. delegation delivered an unsigned diplomatic letter to Akhondzadeh asking Tehran to do what it could to bring about the return of three Americans from Iran.

However, Qashqavi said this report is also untrue.

“Since there was no meeting or dialogue between the representatives of the two countries normally no letter was passed to Iran by the American side.”

Akhondzadeh also denied that any negotiations with U.S. officials had taken place. ""It is neither on our agenda nor have we any plans to negotiate with the Americans,"" he was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=191345

The U.S.-Iran Meeting That Wasn't
....Iran's account was slightly different. A day after the conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qhasghavi told the semi-official Mehr news agency: “There was no official or unofficial meeting or conversation between the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and America on the sidelines of the conference, and the news about this has been dismissed.”

Akhundzadeh also denied a U.S.-Iranian meeting had taken place in an interview with Iran’s official news agency (IRNA), which quoted him as saying, “We do not play hide and seek with anyone. Our policies are clear for everyone.”

.....As for the conflicting accounts of the Afghanistan conference, it's possible that Iranian officials define "meeting" differently than their U.S. counterparts. Holbrooke and Akhndzadeh may have sat down to speak together on the sidelines of the conference -- or they may have merely exchanged a few words in passing.

In any case, reports of a "meeting" would contradict Iranian officials' position that they expect concrete steps from Washington -- such as lifting sanctions or recovering frozen assets -- before Tehran will talk to U.S. officials.

The denial could therefore be meant to appease the hardliners and demonstrate that Iran is standing strong, while the United States remains, for now, the "Great Satan."

That is, at least until further notice. As Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said last year, "I would be the first person to announce it the day when ties with the United States would be useful for the Iranian nation."
http://www.rferl.org/content/The_US_Iran_Meeting_That_Wasnt/1600822.html

Hillary says US, Iran officials met; Iran says didn’t
Agencies Posted: Apr 02, 2009 at 0053 hrs IST
....Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied reports that US and Iranian officials held a meeting on the sidelines of an international conference on Afghanistan, the Mehr news agency said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi also denied that the Iranian delegation had received any letter from the US officials asking about the whereabouts of three American nationals reportedly jailed or gone missing in the Islamic republic.

“No meeting or talks... be it formal or informal, official or unofficial between Iran and US officials took place on the sidelines of this conference,” Ghashghavi told Mehr.

“We categorically deny the reports published in this regard. As no meeting or talks took place, naturally no letter was handed to Iran from the American side.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hillary-says-us-iran-officials-met-ira.../442004/

Iran Denies U.S. Reports Of Warm Exchange At International Conference
Julie Farby - AHN Reporter

Washington, DC (AHN) - Iranian officials dismissed reports that U.S. and Iranian envoys enjoyed a cordial and optimistic exchange during an international conference in the Netherlands, highlighting the countries' vastly different approaches to normalizing relations after almost three decades.

Iran officials have been far less open than their American counterparts in publicly acknowledging discusions between the two nations, with Iran refusing to confirm or deny reports that U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke and Iranian diplomat Mehdi Akhundzadeh met at The Hague conference conference to discuss Afghanistan.

"Maybe this--the report on the meeting by the U.S.-- indicates that the other party is hasty to take advantage of the conference," Akhundzadeh was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying.

"Rest assured, that if there is a decision to have talks with U.S., like the talks on Iraq, all will be informed about it. There is nothing to hide," IRNA reported.

Meanwhile, in Washington, the State Department reaffirmed that Holbrooke did meet with the Iranian envoy for a "brief handshake" but did not have a lengthy encounter.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014652304

Iran Denies Meeting Of Iranian, U.S. Envoys At Afghanistan Conference
Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer

Tehran, Iran (AHN) - The Iranian government on Wednesday denied reports that its representative and U.S. peace envoy Richard Holbrooke met briefly at the Afghanistan conference in the Netherlands.

"No meeting or talk, be it formal or informal, official or unofficial between Iran and U.S. officials took place on the sideline of this conference," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi told the Iranian news agency Mehr, according to BBC.

Ghashghavi also denied that the U.S. handed a letter to Iran at the conference about the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014642849

Iran says no `talks' with US envoy at conference
By NASSER KARIMI and BRIAN MURPHY – 3 days ago

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran dismissed American government reports that senior U.S. and Iran envoys had a cordial — and promising — face-to-face exchange at an international conference, saying Wednesday that no "talks" took place.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5goykFnHZsAqRUFl1bXBuWbVNcpkgD979S5000