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| UN inspectors 'powerless to stop atom bomb plans in Iran' |
| 2005-09-10 |
| The former head of the United Nations inspection team that is investigating Iran's nuclear programme has called on the Security Council to give it greater powers so it can determine whether Teheran is trying to build an atomic bomb. For the past six years Dr Pierre Goldschmidt, a Belgian nuclear scientist, has been in charge of the inspectors sent by the UN-sponsored International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, to investigate Iran's nuclear programme. Dr Pierre Goldschmidt: 'Many serious omissions' Throughout that period the Iranians have tried to conceal crucial aspects of the programme and have indulged in a dangerous game of diplomatic brinkmanship with the IAEA and the UN over the level of access provided to the inspection teams. "It is reaching the point where it is beyond critical," Dr Goldschmidt told The Sunday Telegraph in his first interview since retiring from the IAEA in July. "The IAEA can only work on the basis of the facts that are presented to it, and there have been many serious omissions by the Iranians. The Iranians are exploiting all the loopholes in the international agreements. As to why they are doing this you can draw your own conclusions." Dr Goldschmidt believes that to deal effectively with Iran, IAEA inspectors need to be given greater powers than they currently have. "As it stands, the investigating authority of the agency is too limited with regard to Iran. To do its job properly it needs to have more authority than is currently available to it." In particular, he wants the inspectors to be given the power to interview any Iranian scientist they choose. The inspectors should also have the freedom to visit any military institutions to inspect and take environmental samples, and should be provided with all the original documents relating to Iran's nuclear programme. More @ link |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #5 again: mistaking lack of desire for lack of ability |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-09-10 23:49 |
| #4 "El Baradei says that any judgement about Iran should be made on their intentions." Their stated intentions? Or the unstated ones? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-09-10 23:05 |
#3 UN inspectors 'powerless to stop atom bomb plans in Iran'They are, but some of us aren't. Of course, their dirty little The whole lot of those bastards will undoubtedly burn in Hell - along with their butt-buddy Osama. Tomorrow would suit me just fine. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-09-10 22:58 |
| #2 "...has called on the Security Council to give it greater powers so it can determine whether Teheran is trying to build an atomic bomb..." Like that's necessary. They could just read quotes fron Iranian leaders and determine that. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2005-09-10 21:42 |
| #1 Also from article regarding inspector clueless... He (Dr. Goldschmidt) took issue, however, with the way Mohammed El Baradei, the head of the IAEA, had handled negotiations with Iran in the past two years. "El Baradei says that any judgement about Iran should be made on their intentions. My view is that we should look at the indications, not the intentions, and then decide. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-09-10 21:28 |