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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Nuclear inspectors condemn Iran
2004-03-13
The International Atomic Energy Agency adopted a resolution Saturday criticizing Iran for hiding nuclear activities, although it acknowledged the Islamic republic’s increasing openness in the U.N. inspection process. A senior Bush administration official called the decision "very significant" and "a big win" for the United States. An Iranian official, saying his country’s nuclear program is "exclusively peaceful," issued a statement indicating that the United States was trying to impose its will on the IAEA. Iran announced a freeze for now of U.N. inspections to show its displeasure with the resolution.
This is good for calibrating the ol’ analog surprise meter... there...perfectly zeroed.
The resolution said declarations made by Iran about its program in October "did not amount to the complete and final picture of Iran’s past and present nuclear programs." The board deplored Iran’s omissions in an October letter that was to have provided "the full scope of Iranian nuclear activities" and a "complete centrifuge R&D (research and development) chronology." It also notes "with concern" that Iran and Libya’s "conversion and centrifuge programs share several common elements, including technology largely obtained from the same foreign sources."
That would be the ever-helpful Dr. A.Q. Khan, of course...
Iran’s declaration, it said, didn’t refer "to its possession of P-2 centrifuge design drawings and to associated research, manufacturing, and mechanical testing activities" and it repeats the concerns of Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei over Iran’s "activities related to experiments on the production and intended use of polonium-210." The resolution expressed concern about the omission of "two mass spectrometers used in the laser enrichment program; and designs for the construction of hot cells at the Arak heavy water research reactor -- which require further investigation, not least as they may point to nuclear activities not so far acknowledged by Iran." It notes that ElBaradei has reported that while Iran has been "actively cooperating with the agency in providing access to locations requested by the agency" and notes progress in its cooperation, it says Iran "has fallen short of what is required." The resolution comes after much negotiating. The U.S. draft was passed unanimously after the United States agreed to drop a paragraph saying the centrifuges were produced in workshops owned by Iran’s industrial industry, the senior administration official said.
industrial industry??? how industrious...
After that, ElBaradei was able to sell it to the non-aligned movement members on the board. The United States also was successful in maintaining the section that deplored the hiding of P-2 centrifuges. The official said Iran will have to explain the issues by the next board of governors meeting in June. The resolution also decided to wait until its June meeting "consideration of progress in verifying Iran’s declarations" and how to respond to the omissions. That would put off action on the matter by the U.N. Security Council.
Sounds like that's the intent...
Meanwhile, Kenneth Brill, U.S. chief delegate at the Vienna talks, issued remarks saying Iran is "continuing to pursue a policy of denial, deception and delay." Brill compared Libya and Iran in his statement, saying Libya is demonstrating commitment to "reversing course" and eliminating its weapons mass destruction programs.
The Colonel scores a goal!!!
But, "time after time, when IAEA inspectors have confronted the Iranian government with verified facts it could no longer contest, Iran has revised its story and blamed others for its duplicity," Brill said. He said the IAEA needs to "follow up" on whether Pakistani nuclear program founder and leader A.Q. Khan could have provided weapons design to Iran.
Someone once told me, if Pakistan has the bomb, that means every Islamic nation has the bomb.
"We are concerned that Iran’s February announcement -- that it will suspend centrifuge assembly and testing, as well as component manufacture ’to the furthest extent possible’ -- may represent another tactical diversion, and that Iran may intend to continue its programs in defiance of the board’s resolutions." In an apparent reference to the United States, Amir Zamaninia, the Iranian diplomat representing his country at the IAEA, said, "a solution is being imposed -- and I think I am using the expression with true definition of the word -- on the board by a single country through few associates nonetheless. There is a fervent unjustified desire to maintain undue pressure on Iran through misrepresentation of facts, overexaggeration of minor misgivings, and excessive prejudgments."
Start praying for a Kerry victory, Mr.Iranian diplomat.
Posted by:Rafael

#2  "We are concerned that Iran’s February announcement -- that it will suspend centrifuge assembly and testing, as well as component manufacture ’to the furthest extent possible’ -- may represent another tactical diversion, and that Iran may intend to continue its programs in defiance of the board’s resolutions."

I believe this quote came from "DUH", the official magazine of UN diplomats.
Posted by: tu3031   2004-3-13 9:44:09 PM  

#1  Their plan is to stand up to and delay the IAEA until the november elections. At which point if Kerry is elected they will unilaterally end cooperation and if Bush is elected they will do a 180 and start cooperating. Unfortunately they know Bush won't do anything till after the elections.
Posted by: Damn_Proud_American   2004-3-13 4:07:25 PM  

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