NAM head: Europeans demands from Iran should be within NPT
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Vienna, Nov 23, IRNA -- Malaysian Representative and Head of Non-Aligned-Movement (NAM) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said here Tuesday that expectations from Iran on its nuclear activities should be within the framework of the Non-Proliferation-Treaty (NPT) and its Additional Protocol. Speaking after a session of the NAM member states at the IAEA Governing Council, he told reporters that what has been enunciated at the European-sponsored draft resolution and presented to the governing board is beyond the NPT and the Additional Protocol. "The NAM member states are opposed to some elements of the draft resolution and are in favor of amending them." The draft resolution was submitted Monday to the governing council. "For example, unlimited access to military sites and nuclear centers are not part of the provisions of the safeguards and Additional Protocol," Haniff stated. All demands put forth to the member states should be based on sound legal and judicial grounds. All requirements that have been alluded to in the Additional Protocol have our approval. "We do not accept anything beyond the protocol." "Iran`s confidence building measures should not be regarded as mandatory," Haniff underlined. Responding to a question on Iran`s concerns to likelihood of a "trigger mechanism" being incorporated in the draft, he added the trigger mechanism cannot be an issue here, "because any referral of Iran`s dossier to the UN security Council has to be underpinned with legal justifications." Iran is only obliged to carry out the provisions of the Additional Protocol and safeguards and any unlimited requests on the unlimited inspection of military sites are not part of the treaties, he reiterated. "We all have problems with the resolution drafted by the Europeans", Haniff responded when reminded that both Iran and US have objections to the draft. Iran was also represented at the session, which focused on the review of draft resolution by the European Union presented to the IAEA governing council for a ruling. The European Union troika in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) welcomed Iran`s freezing its uranium enrichment activities and called on Tehran to make the decision a permanent one. Germany, France and Britain which managed to reach an agreement with Iran on its nuclear activities just recently called for permanent freezing of Tehran`s nuclear activities in their proposed resolution Monday night. In the two-page secret resolution, a copy of which was obtained by IRNA here, the three countries, relying on the reports and remarks of IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei have verified suspension of uranium enrichment activities by Iran. They have also referred to Iran`s move as a positive measure to promote trust and confidence. The EU troika in the Board of Governors, referring to ElBaradei`s report which stresses there is no evidence on any nuclear activity of Iran related to military purposes, went on to stress that the IAEA is not yet confident enough to announce whether Iran has any undeclared or concealed nuclear activities. Pointing to the fact the IAEA Board of Governors had previously demanded Iran to freeze its uranium enrichment and conversion activities, the EU criticized Iran for its recent attempts to produce hexaflouride gas and called on the IAEA to probe into the case. In the draft resolution presented to the IAEA Board of Governors, the three big Europeans have called on ElBaradei to go on with precise and detailed inspection plans of Iran`s nuclear programs for any duration of time needed in order to verify the truth of Iran`s claims on suspending its uranium enrichment activities. The European troika further voiced their support for the recent decision of the IAEA director general to follow up the remaining issues to reach a valid guarantee on Iran`s nuclear activities. 2324/1432
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