WTO agrees entry talks with Iran, U.S. drops veto

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5819905&cKey=1117105541000

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed on Thursday to start membership negotiations with Iran after the United States dropped a long-standing veto.

The U.S. decision appeared to be the first tangible reward for Iran after it agreed on Wednesday to maintain its suspension of all nuclear activities in a deal with the European Union.

Mohammad Reza Alborzi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, welcomed the breakthrough at WTO's General Council, whose 148 member states take decisions by consensus.

"I take note that a decision that has long been overdue has been now established," Alborzi said in remarks to the closed-door meeting.

[wakeme2008]

1. Has Bush's target da jour moved

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Gloria]

2. I think Bush has blinked for the time being...this is one of Iran's

big demands, to be let into the WTO. However, I wouldn't trust Bush to really negotiate, would you? It's up to the three EU countries...I recently posted an article that said that if push comes to shove, they won't support military action.