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UK welcomes US support for EU negotiations with Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, March 27, IRNA
Iran-UK
The British government has welcomed the US decision to stop blocking Iran's bid to join the World Trade Organisation and ease sanctions on civilian aircraft parts but is unwilling to say whether it would participate in the gestures.

"We welcome the announcement by the United States on 11 March 2005 that it has decided to support the E3's diplomacy by dropping its objection to Iran's application to the World Trade Organisation," Foreign Office Minister Denis MacShane has said.

In a written parliamentary reply, published this week, the minister for European Affairs also praised the US decision to consider the licensing of spare-parts for Iranian civilian aircraft, saying this was "in particular from the EU to Iran."
But he declined to answer a question from MP David Drew, whether the UK is participating in the US initiatives to encourage Iran not to undertake in the development of indigenous uranium enrichment capability.

During a debate before the Easter recess, Foreign Office Minister Chris Mullin rejected comparing the concern over Iran's nuclear programme to the risks associated with the UK not being able to account for its own missing quantity of nuclear material.

"UK civil nuclear facilities, unlike those in Iran, are fully open to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection, so there can be no doubt about our willingness to co-operate fully and answer any questions that the international community may have, although I note his point," Mullin told MPs.

Labour MP, Malcolm Savidge questioned the minister whether it was acceptable that Sellafield nuclear processing plant in north-west England cannot account for significant quantities of weapons-grade material.

"How can we answer if a country such as Iran claims that it cannot account for significant amounts of such material?" asked Savidge, who is convener of the All-Party Global Security and Non-Proliferation Group.

Last Monday, Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell also confirmed for the first time that the British government had not sought to deter Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.

"We are in regular contact with the Israeli Authorities regarding the international community negotiations with Iran," Rammell told MPs in a written reply to parliament.

But "we have not made any representations to Israel regarding reported plans for a pre-emptive military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel," he added.

"The Israeli Government has denied such reports. We will continue to monitor the situation," the minister further said.

Previous both Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have declined to say whether the UK would deter Israel from carrying out any attack on Iran similar to its attack on Iraq's nuclear plant in 1983.

HC/2331/1432
::IRNA No.007 27/03/2005 08:55 --End