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| International-UN-NGOs |
| UN group defers to Iran, rejects U.S. deadline |
| 2004-09-21 |
| SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Monday, September 20th, 2004 LONDON — The International Atomic Energy Agency has rejected a U.S. effort to set a deadline for an end to Iran's uranium enrichment program. Instead, the IAEA expressed concern over Iran's intention to introduce 37 tons of yellowcake, a milled uranium oxide regarded as the first element in the enriched uranium process. But the resolution did not threaten any measures against Teheran, Middle East Newsline reported. The United States protested the decision. "To wait until the IAEA finds the nuclear weapons is to wait until it is too late," U.S. chief delegate Jackie Sanders told the IAEA board. "With every passing week, Iran moves that much closer to reaching the point where neither we, nor any other international body, will be able to prevent it from achieving nuclear weapons capacity." The resolution set a Nov. 25 deadline for a review of Iran's nuclear program and called for the suspension of Teheran's uranium enrichment activities. The resolution regarding Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, was passed unanimously by the agency's 35-nation board of governors. The resolution on Saturday called on IAEA director-general Mohammed El Baradei to submit a report in advance of the November board meeting regarding Iranian compliance. The El Baradei report would also address previous resolutions that called for a "full suspension of all [Iranian] enrichment-related and reprocessing activities." "It [IAEA at November meeting] will decide whether or not further steps are appropriate in relation to Iran's obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement," the resolution said. The latest resolution, which marked the end to the agency's board of governors meeting in Vienna, called for a halt to a range of Iranian nuclear activities. "...Iran [should] immediately suspend all enrichment-related activities, including the manufacture or import of centrifuge components, the assembly and testing of centrifuges," the resolution said. "[The resolution] calls again on Iran, as a further confidence-building measure, voluntarily to reconsider its decision to start construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water." At the same time, the resolution failed to set an automatic trigger that would send the Iranian nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions. The agency, over U.S. objections, also insisted that the resolution contain a clause that reiterated Iran's right to administer a civilian nuclear program. Iran has pledged to continue its nuclear program as well as uranium enrichment. But Iranian officials said Teheran would decide over the next week whether to temporarily suspend uranium enrichment. For his part, El Baradei said inspectors have not found evidence that Iran was producing nuclear weapons. But the IAEA's latest report said inspectors required further study of Iran's nuclear program, including such issues as enriched uranium contamination, the scope of the P-2 centrifuge program and the timeframe of Iran's plutonium separation experiments. U.S. officials said the resolution could mark a turning point in diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program. They said the agency was being ordered to end nearly two years of investigation by determining whether Teheran has been in compliance with the NPT. |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |
| #6 No Deadlines! No RedLines! Freedom for Chevies! Free Mumia! Free Huey! Free Lunch! And everyman a Bomb! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-09-21 6:15:36 PM |
| #5 I mean, UNDER the radar screens. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-09-21 5:07:58 PM |
| #4 This UN and IAEA stuff is just BS and window dressing. The REAL planning and response to the situation is taking place behind the radar screens at this time. That's my take. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-09-21 5:07:29 PM |
| #3 It should be so painfully clear by now that it is nothing but an anti-American debating society and no action will ever come out of it unless its trying to prevent the US from protecting itself. GWB's administration seems to be like the abused wife that can't bring herself to cut loose her wife-beating husband. The road to recovery starts with admitting that there's a problem. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-09-21 11:11:03 AM |
| #2 I'd love to know who was the genius that made someone named "Mohammed" director-general of the IAEA? |
| Posted by: BH 2004-09-21 10:14:57 AM |
| #1 For the US to even bother wasting time with the UN is beyond my comprehension. It should be so painfully clear by now that it is nothing but an anti-American debating society and no action will ever come out of it unless its trying to prevent the US from protecting itself. Secondly, El Baradei couldn't find his ass with both hands. Maybe he ought to ask the Israeli's where to look. How in the world is it possible for a Arab to be in charge of making sure an Arab country doesn't acquire nukes? ( I know how that sounds, but guess what?, it is us against them). This sort of delusional nonsense from a those assholes in the UN almost ensures this war is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-09-21 8:17:55 AM |