WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States is seeking guarantees from Europe that allies will back punitive measures against Iran if diplomatic talks do not result in agreement by Iran to permanently abandon any ambitions of developing a nuclear weapon, the Washington Post reported Friday.

    Washington wants any agreement on a new package of incentives for Teheran to include an understanding on a general timeline, so that Iran can not drag out negotiations for several months, as it did on a temporary agreement last year, the Post said.

    The Bush administration faces serious skepticism inside its ownranks about how far to go with Europe in offering incentives to Iran, for fear the Europeans will not agree to refer Iran to the UN Security Council if the diplomatic efforts does not produce results fairly quickly, the newspaper quoted unidentified US officials as reporting.

    In his first public comment on joining the European efforts, USPresident George W. Bush said on Thursday that the US wants to work with Europe to "help make sure the process goes forward."

    He said he was "most appreciative" that European allies agreed with him in talks last week that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. "To me, that is a very- a positive startfor achieving our common objective," he told reporters.

    Bush also met Thursday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Riceto review her talks in London on Tuesday about the specifics of a joint US-Europe overture to Iran, amidst indications that a final decision is near.

    The proposed incentives include agreement to allow Iran to eventually apply for membership in the World Trade Organization, and the right to buy badly needed spare parts for its aging fleet of passenger aircraft.

    "Within the next couple of weeks, we'll be able to bring this together with the European," a senior State Department official was quoted as saying.

    "We're working this. ...We still have a bit more talking to do--with them and among ourselves, " the unidentified official said. Enditem