US President George W. Bush urged Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment,
setting it as a precondition for starting talks to resolve the nuclear impasse,
according to reports from Estonia's Tallinn on Tuesday.
"As far as the United States goes, Iran knows how to get to the table with
us, and that is to do what they said they would do, which is verifiably suspend
their enrichment programs," Bush told a press conference with Estonian President
Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
"One of the concerns that I have about the Iranian regime is their desire to
develop a nuclear weapon," he said.
That's why the United States is working through the United Nations to send a
clear message that the international community does not accept Tehran's desires
to have a nuclear weapon," he added.
Washington has repeatedly accused Tehran of attempting to develop nuclear
weapons while the latter insists that its nuclear program is purely designed for
peaceful use.
"If they would like to be at the table discussing this issue with the United
States, I have made it abundantly clear how they can do so, and that is
verifiably suspend the enrichment program. And then we'll be happy to have a
dialogue with them," Bush said.
Bush has left Estonia for Latvia to attend the summit of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO), which will start on Tuesday night.
The bloc's mission in Afghanistan is expected to top the agenda.
