Mister1979
03-04-2006, 19:14
Security Council
UN gives Iran 30 days to stop nuclear programme
Morocco TIMES 3/30/2006 | 2:56 pm
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a statement calling on Iran to suspend its uranium programme within 30 days and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Officials participating in the Berlin meeting pose before they started talks on the Iranian nuclear issue. Ph. AFP.
The statement was agreed upon after three weeks of hectic consultation among the five permanent members of the Council (the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia).
The consultations were marked by China and Russia's opposition of any wording that would later lead to military action or sanctions against Iran.
The final version of the statement, which was originally proposed by France and the UK, was presented later on Wednesday to the whole Security Council.
“The Security Council calls upon Iran to take the steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors […] which are essential to build confidence in the exclusively peaceful purpose of its nuclear programme and to resolve outstanding questions,” said the statement.
It also demanded that the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, reports in 30 days on the degree of Tehran's cooperation with the call to freeze its nuclear activities.
The Security Council also underlined “the particular importance of re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the IAEA.”
Members of the 15-member Council voiced support to the joint statement on Wednesday.
Japan hailed on Thursday the council's statement which it described as clear and reflecting the UN's consensus on the issue, urging Iran to consider seriously the resolution of the IAEA and the Security Council's resolution.
US ambassador to the UN John Bolton said the statement constitutes “a very clear message” that Iran should respond to the IAEA demands.
Iran, however, rejected the statement and reaffirmed that its nuclear programme is peaceful, reported Reuters.
"We will not, definitely, suspend again the enrichment," said Iran's ambassador to the Vienna-based IAEA, Aliasghar Soltaniyeh.
The five permanent members of the Council, in addition to Germany, have met today in Berlin to further discuss the Iranian dossier and bring more pressure on Tehran to suspend its programme.
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe Douste-Blazy expressed hope that the meeting will highlight “the unity and firmness of the international community” over the issue, reported AFP.
“We reiterate to the Iranians our desire to negotiate. We recognise their right to use electro-nuclear energy for civilian aims. We ask them to immediately suspend their sensitive nuclear activities, particularly the enrichment of unranium,” Douste-Blazy said today at his arrival in Berlin.
At the end of the Berlin negotiations, the head of German diplomacy Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Iran had one of two choices: either “return to the table of negotiations” or accept “isolation which it would inflict on itself”.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, after the meeting, that Iran made “a bad calculation” by counting on the division of the international community over its nuclear programme, insisting that the world's powers are “increasingly united” over the issue.
But Russia and China are still trying to moderate the tone. Sergueï Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared in Berlin that “Russia doesn't think sanctions will help solve different issues” related to the Iranian nuclear programme.
Chinese vice-Foreign Minister, Dai Bingguo, underlined that there are enough problems in the Near East and the Middle East, and that a peaceful solution to the Iranian issue would be the better way to avoid more trouble in the area.
UN gives Iran 30 days to stop nuclear programme
Morocco TIMES 3/30/2006 | 2:56 pm
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a statement calling on Iran to suspend its uranium programme within 30 days and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Officials participating in the Berlin meeting pose before they started talks on the Iranian nuclear issue. Ph. AFP.
The statement was agreed upon after three weeks of hectic consultation among the five permanent members of the Council (the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia).
The consultations were marked by China and Russia's opposition of any wording that would later lead to military action or sanctions against Iran.
The final version of the statement, which was originally proposed by France and the UK, was presented later on Wednesday to the whole Security Council.
“The Security Council calls upon Iran to take the steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors […] which are essential to build confidence in the exclusively peaceful purpose of its nuclear programme and to resolve outstanding questions,” said the statement.
It also demanded that the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, reports in 30 days on the degree of Tehran's cooperation with the call to freeze its nuclear activities.
The Security Council also underlined “the particular importance of re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the IAEA.”
Members of the 15-member Council voiced support to the joint statement on Wednesday.
Japan hailed on Thursday the council's statement which it described as clear and reflecting the UN's consensus on the issue, urging Iran to consider seriously the resolution of the IAEA and the Security Council's resolution.
US ambassador to the UN John Bolton said the statement constitutes “a very clear message” that Iran should respond to the IAEA demands.
Iran, however, rejected the statement and reaffirmed that its nuclear programme is peaceful, reported Reuters.
"We will not, definitely, suspend again the enrichment," said Iran's ambassador to the Vienna-based IAEA, Aliasghar Soltaniyeh.
The five permanent members of the Council, in addition to Germany, have met today in Berlin to further discuss the Iranian dossier and bring more pressure on Tehran to suspend its programme.
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe Douste-Blazy expressed hope that the meeting will highlight “the unity and firmness of the international community” over the issue, reported AFP.
“We reiterate to the Iranians our desire to negotiate. We recognise their right to use electro-nuclear energy for civilian aims. We ask them to immediately suspend their sensitive nuclear activities, particularly the enrichment of unranium,” Douste-Blazy said today at his arrival in Berlin.
At the end of the Berlin negotiations, the head of German diplomacy Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Iran had one of two choices: either “return to the table of negotiations” or accept “isolation which it would inflict on itself”.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, after the meeting, that Iran made “a bad calculation” by counting on the division of the international community over its nuclear programme, insisting that the world's powers are “increasingly united” over the issue.
But Russia and China are still trying to moderate the tone. Sergueï Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared in Berlin that “Russia doesn't think sanctions will help solve different issues” related to the Iranian nuclear programme.
Chinese vice-Foreign Minister, Dai Bingguo, underlined that there are enough problems in the Near East and the Middle East, and that a peaceful solution to the Iranian issue would be the better way to avoid more trouble in the area.