Red
09-19-2005, 12:22 PM
VIENNA, Austria (Reuters) -- Iran has vowed to press ahead with its nuclear program as opposition hardens to an immediate referral of Tehran to the U.N. Security Council over suspicions it is seeking nuclear bombs.
The United States, France, Britain and Germany want the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran to the Security Council for possible sanctions after Tehran resumed work on sensitive nuclear technology last month.
But diplomats from the EU trio, who have begun drafting a resolution on a referral for this week's meeting of the IAEA 35-nation board, said on Monday they were unsure how much support they could muster.
"Do we think we have a majority? Yes, we probably have. Do we think that a majority of, say, 20 out of 35 with some big countries voting against or abstaining would be enough to pressure Iran? That is the question," an EU diplomat said.
Twelve of 14 IAEA board members from the Non-Aligned Movement, meeting on Monday to forge a common position, believed Iran's case should be resolved within the IAEA, diplomats said, with only Peru and Singapore ready to back a referral.
"Everybody would like to avoid a contentious debate in the Security Council," Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, speaking in New York, told NDTV television news.
Russia, China, Brazil and IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei also oppose an immediate referral to the U.N. Council, while even some European Union countries are wary of possible retaliatory measures by Tehran. "Countries like Italy and Austria are afraid for their exports," one European diplomat said.
Faced with a split, EU diplomats said they might not insist that the IAEA board vote on the resolution at this week's meeting, despite U.S. insistence that they go for a quick vote.
Iran, which denies seeking nuclear bombs, vowed on Monday to continue with its nuclear program which it says is designed purely for generating electricity.
Its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday, branded western efforts to restrict its program "nuclear apartheid."
The official IRNA news agency on Monday quoted Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as saying Tehran refused to bow to pressure. "We will continue our nuclear activities in the framework of the IAEA regulations."
No immediate sanctions
France, Britain and Germany began a diplomatic drive two years ago to persuade Tehran to renounce sensitive nuclear technology that could be used to make weapons in return for political and economic incentives.
But those talks virtually collapsed after Iran resumed work at a uranium processing plant in Isfahan last month, suspended under a deal with the three EU powers -- prompting talk of referral to the Security Council.
European diplomats say they would not seek immediate sanctions against Iran, but consider them in future if Iran remained defiant.
French, British and German officials were due to meet with colleagues from other EU countries ahead of the IAEA board meeting. Diplomats said EU members were demanding that any resolution and strategy be agreed by the bloc as a whole.
The haggling over the final text of any IAEA resolution will be long, and EU diplomats says they are in no hurry to force a hasty vote at this week's board meeting. But some EU officials would prefer to vote this week, before the 2005-2006 IAEA board takes office with more non-aligned states.
The Iran issue has split IAEA board members roughly between industrialized countries which favor tough action and emerging economies which accuse the west of trying to deprive poor nations of independent nuclear programs.
Western countries say that since Iran hid a uranium enrichment program from the IAEA for 18 years, the only way it can prove it is not seeking nuclear bombs is to renounce sensitive nuclear technology altogether.
Developing countries back Iran's assertion that it is not now breaking any rules under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory, that allows it to run a civilian nuclear program under the supervision of the IAEA.
The United States, France, Britain and Germany want the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran to the Security Council for possible sanctions after Tehran resumed work on sensitive nuclear technology last month.
But diplomats from the EU trio, who have begun drafting a resolution on a referral for this week's meeting of the IAEA 35-nation board, said on Monday they were unsure how much support they could muster.
"Do we think we have a majority? Yes, we probably have. Do we think that a majority of, say, 20 out of 35 with some big countries voting against or abstaining would be enough to pressure Iran? That is the question," an EU diplomat said.
Twelve of 14 IAEA board members from the Non-Aligned Movement, meeting on Monday to forge a common position, believed Iran's case should be resolved within the IAEA, diplomats said, with only Peru and Singapore ready to back a referral.
"Everybody would like to avoid a contentious debate in the Security Council," Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, speaking in New York, told NDTV television news.
Russia, China, Brazil and IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei also oppose an immediate referral to the U.N. Council, while even some European Union countries are wary of possible retaliatory measures by Tehran. "Countries like Italy and Austria are afraid for their exports," one European diplomat said.
Faced with a split, EU diplomats said they might not insist that the IAEA board vote on the resolution at this week's meeting, despite U.S. insistence that they go for a quick vote.
Iran, which denies seeking nuclear bombs, vowed on Monday to continue with its nuclear program which it says is designed purely for generating electricity.
Its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday, branded western efforts to restrict its program "nuclear apartheid."
The official IRNA news agency on Monday quoted Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as saying Tehran refused to bow to pressure. "We will continue our nuclear activities in the framework of the IAEA regulations."
No immediate sanctions
France, Britain and Germany began a diplomatic drive two years ago to persuade Tehran to renounce sensitive nuclear technology that could be used to make weapons in return for political and economic incentives.
But those talks virtually collapsed after Iran resumed work at a uranium processing plant in Isfahan last month, suspended under a deal with the three EU powers -- prompting talk of referral to the Security Council.
European diplomats say they would not seek immediate sanctions against Iran, but consider them in future if Iran remained defiant.
French, British and German officials were due to meet with colleagues from other EU countries ahead of the IAEA board meeting. Diplomats said EU members were demanding that any resolution and strategy be agreed by the bloc as a whole.
The haggling over the final text of any IAEA resolution will be long, and EU diplomats says they are in no hurry to force a hasty vote at this week's board meeting. But some EU officials would prefer to vote this week, before the 2005-2006 IAEA board takes office with more non-aligned states.
The Iran issue has split IAEA board members roughly between industrialized countries which favor tough action and emerging economies which accuse the west of trying to deprive poor nations of independent nuclear programs.
Western countries say that since Iran hid a uranium enrichment program from the IAEA for 18 years, the only way it can prove it is not seeking nuclear bombs is to renounce sensitive nuclear technology altogether.
Developing countries back Iran's assertion that it is not now breaking any rules under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory, that allows it to run a civilian nuclear program under the supervision of the IAEA.