Friday, August 05, 2005

Crisis brews as Iran rejects EU proposal; UN watchdog to meet Tuesday

Agence France-Presse:

05/08/2005 18h39

VIENNA (AFP) - The watchdog UN atomic agency meets next Tuesday with a crisis brewing after Iran rejected an EU demand for it to abandon making nuclear fuel with possible weapons use, in return for trade, technology and security incentives.

Iran Friday rejected proposals from the European Union, led by the trio of Britain, France and Germany, to allow the Islamic Republic to pursue peaceful nuclear energy work as long it refrains from fuel cycle work that could help it make atomic weapons.

But foreign minister spokesman Hamid Reza Asefia said Iran would make a final decision in one or two days.

The European trio said there was still time for Iran to reconsider its threat to resume nuclear fuel activities, which it suspended in November to begin negotiations with the EU, and that maintaining the suspension would lead to the UN watchdog meeting being cancelled.

A summary of the 34-page package made available to reporters indicated that the British, French and German foreign ministers told the Iranians that they had no choice but to call for a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) 35-nation board of governors.

This could send Iran before the UN Security Council for possible sweeping international economic sanctions.

If Iran makes "clear that it will not proceed as it has indicated (to restart work nuclear fuel cycle work) and will enter into discussions on the ... proposal (presented Friday), we are ready not to continue with this process," the ministers said.

In that case, there would be a meeting of senior officials from the two sides on August 31 in Paris and a ministerial meeting in New York in September, British, French, and German ministers Jack Straw, Philippe Douste-Blazy and Joschka Fischer said.

Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Moussavian said Friday in Tehran however that "the proposals are unacceptable" as they are a "clear violation" of agreements between Iran and the European Union. "They negate Iran's inalienable right (under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the NPT)," to making nuclear fuel, he said.

Moussavian had said Thursday that Iran would resume preliminary fuel cycle work within one or two days and threatened to go beyond this to produce enriched uranium, which can either fuel civilian power plants or make nuclear bombs.

The Vienna-based IAEA could refer Iran to the Security Council but diplomats from the European trio said the purpose of the meeting was to warn off the Iranians from resuming fuel cycle work.

One diplomat added, however, that "this might be a meeting where something else happens," a reference to Iran presenting the IAEA with a fait accompli of having already started uranium conversion, a first step in enriching uranium.

The United States charges that Iran is using its civilian nuclear program to hide cover weapons development and would like to see Iran brought before the Security Council if Tehran begins fuel cycle work.

"I hope Iran will heed the voice of reason," Douste-Blazy said in Paris Friday. But if Iran resumes conversion, "then it is certain that the international community will ask the Security Council to intervene," he said.

The proposals recognize Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including guaranteeing it a supply of nuclear fuel, but call on it not to make atomic fuel as this could have possible weapons use.

"As Iran will have an assured supply of fuel over the coming years, it will be able to provide the confidence needed by making a binding commitment not to pursue fuel cycle activities other than the construction and operation of light-water power and research reactors," according to a summary of the letter.

The summary notes that the European trio are asking "Iran to stop construction of its heavy-water reactor at Arak, which gives rise to proliferation concerns" since it would make large amounts of plutonium, which along with uranium is a prime atom bomb material.

In return for cooperating, Iran would get trade, security and technology benefits.

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