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UN:
DESPITE PROGRESS, IMPORTANT ISSUES OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME STILL
REMAIN - UN:
11/9/2007 (MaximsNews.com, U.N.)
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UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com@
U.N./
- 11 September 2007 – Despite
progress in resolving certain matters regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, the
United Nations atomic watchdog agency reported yesterday that other important issues
still need to be verified, although Iran has agreed to a work plan to settle
these within a specific time framework.
“This
is the first time that Iran has agreed on a plan to address all outstanding
issues, with a defined timeline, and is therefore an important step in the right
direction,” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed
ElBaradei told the IAEA Board of Governors in his latest report on the nuclear
programme, which many countries see as an effort to produce nuclear weapons but
which Tehran says is solely for the peaceful purpose of producing energy.
“Naturally,
the key to gauging Iran’s commitment will be its willingness to implement this
work plan fully and in a timely manner. This would require active cooperation by
Iran and its undertaking of all the transparency measures needed to reconstruct
the history of its nuclear programme,” he said of the steps, which include
access to locations, documents and individuals.
“Resolving
all outstanding verification issues in the next two to three months, after a
long deadlock, would go a long way towards building the confidence of the
international community in the peaceful nature of Iran’s past nuclear
programme,” he added. On the progress made, Mr. ElBaradei reported that the
IAEA has been able to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material,
with Iran continuing to provide access and reporting, as well as additional
information and access needed to resolve a number of long outstanding issues.
Questions
about past plutonium experiments have thus been satisfactorily answered, and “the
issue has been resolved,” as have questions about the presence and origin of
high enriched uranium particles at the Karaj Waste Storage Facility.
But
despite Security Council calls, Iran has not suspended enrichment related
activities, and is continuing with the construction and operation of the Fuel
Enrichment Plant at Natanz and a heavy water reactor at Arak. “This is
regrettable,” Mr. ElBaradei said. Enriched uranium can be used both for energy
generation and weapons production.
The
crisis began with the discovery in 2003 that Iran had concealed its nuclear
activities for 18 years in breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),
and the Security Council has since imposed a series of sanctions, with members
considering further action.
Mr.
ElBaradei reiterated a call he made earlier this year for a “double time-out”
suspending all enrichment related activities and sanctions and providing a
breathing space for negotiations to be resumed.
“The
earlier we move from confrontation and distrust to dialogue and confidence
building, the better for Iran and for the international community,” he said,
calling on Iran to provide the IAEA with renewed access to information on its
advanced centrifuge research and to ratify and bring into force an additional
protocol of the NPT, allowing for short-notice, on-the-spot inspections.
“This
would enable the Agency to provide assurances not only regarding declared
nuclear material but, equally important, regarding the absence of undeclared
nuclear material and activities in Iran,” he added, repeating his past
conviction that a durable solution can only be achieved through negotiations.
On the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Mr. ElBaradei reported a “positive
step forward” in ending the country’s nuclear weapons programme following
agreements in July, noting that the IAEA had been able to verify the shutdown of
the Yongbyon nuclear facility.
“I
particularly welcome the active cooperation the IAEA team is continuing to
receive from the DPRK. The Agency looks forward to continuing to work with the
DPRK as the verification process evolves,” he said.
But on
efforts to apply safeguards to all nuclear activities in the Middle East and
move towards the establishment of a Middle East Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, he
reported no progress.
“Consultations
with concerned States of the region has not produced an agreement on the agenda”
for a forum to discuss the experience of other regions with existing
nuclear-weapon-free zones, including confidence building and verification
measures, for establishing such a zone in the Middle East, he added.
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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