FINGERS CROSSED

by RAY FLEMING
IT'S rare in these times to get one piece of good news in a day, let alone two. But yesterday Iran appeared to want to talk with the 6-nation group of US, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, while Turkey and Armenia signalled that they were ready to try to solve their bitter 90-year stand-off. Two in one day -- it seems too good to be true, and it may be, but let's hope these are genuine signs of common sense at work. Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Said Jalili said Tehran was ready for talks “regarding all security, political and economic issues, in addition to the nuclear issue.” For some reason the offer had not reached the EU's Javier Solana who co-ordinates the 6-nation Group -- but this sometimes happens with Iran. Perhaps the offer is a recognition of Barack Obama's deadline of
23 September -- when the UN General Assembly convenes -- for a response to his Cairo speech and the Group's earlier offer of a package of economic and technical assistance in return for a halt to Iran's uranium enrichment.