WORLD / Top News
Big powers creep to elusive deal on Iran at UN
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-28 14:19
U.N. Security Council powers held out hope on Monday for agreement this
week on a statement to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, but a deal still
appeared elusive before a forthcoming ministerial meeting.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei
before a meeting on Iran's suspect nuclear energy programme at the
Chancellery in Berlin March 27, 2006. [Reuters]
"It is now three weeks since the International Atomic Energy Agency board
took this matter up and we are going to try and resolve it in the next
day or so," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said, referring to the
Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog.
He spoke after another meeting with the other four permanent council
members -- Britain, France, Russia and China -- and after a briefing to
the full 15-member council.
Russia opposes heavy Security Council involvement on Iran, fearing it
would lead to punitive measures. Moscow last week proposed gutting a
large part of the draft that asks Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment
efforts, which could produce weapons-grade fuel.
Tehran says its nuclear research is for peaceful purposes, while the West
believes it is a cover for bomb making.
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of the five council powers and Germany
are due to meet in Berlin to hammer out strategy and try to break any
remaining impasse on the statement.
"We are dealing with nervousness from some of the parties on what will
happen next and uncertainties. Russia has particular concerns, including
very high equities in Iran," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in
London.
Britain's U.N. ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry, told reporters: "We need to
agree on the text and if possible to have it ready for adoption. If we
can finish it before Thursday, we will."
But he cautioned that the five were only "edging forward."
"We're looking now at a mix of different comments on basic texts," Jones
Parry said. "We've made a bit of progress but we have quite a lot more
progress to make."
Russia, diplomats said, had now submitted a draft statement to counter
one from Britain and France and all proposals are to be sent to
governments of the five overnight.
"There are all kinds of drafts and all kinds of amendments," Bolton said,
adding that he, too, "proposed some compromises that will be reported
back to the capitals and we are going to continue to see if we can't
reach agreement."
The last version from the Europeans arrived on Saturday morning, said
China's U.N. Ambassador, Wang Guangya.
In Berlin, IAEA director-general Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran to halt all
uranium enrichment work and help revive collapsed nuclear talks between
Tehran and the European Union.
"We are not in a position today to say that (Iran's nuclear) program is
exclusively for peaceful purposes," ElBaradei said.
More than two years of talks between Iran and Germany, France and Britain
reached an impasse earlier this year after Iran resumed uranium
enrichment research.
At a conference in Berlin, security experts and officials discussed Iran,
including the possibility of U.S. military strikes against Iran's nuclear
facilities.
Tehran's ambassador to the IAEA said airstrikes would not destroy Iran's
uranium enrichment activities.
"We can enrich uranium anywhere in Iran, with a vast country," Aliasghar
Soltaniyeh said, citing Iran's more than 600,000 square mile area.
A report made public on Monday by David Albright and Corey Hinderstein of
the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security
estimates that Iran would need at least three more years, and perhaps
much longer, to make nuclear arms, depending on how many problems it runs
into on the way.
The report accused anonymous U.S. officials of distorting a briefing
given the major powers this month by the IAEA in claiming Iran had made
significant gains in mastering the process of enriching uranium to the
point it can be used to make bombs.
"Looking at a timeline of at least three years before Iran could have a
nuclear weapons capability means that there is still time to pursue
aggressive diplomatic options, and time for measures such as sanctions to
have an effect, if they become necessary," the report concluded.
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Today's Top News
� China tariff bill sidelined, new one unveiled
� 'Rise in human cases a dangerous sign'
� Backup plan to cap gas well delayed
� Olmert claims victory in Israeli election
Top World News
� Olmert wins in Israeli election
� More than a million French protest law
� West softens UN draft on Iran
Learn Chinese online, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment