Wrap: Russia calls on Iran to re-impose nuclear moratorium
RIA Novosti
13/01/2006 17:36
MOSCOW, January 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russian defense and diplomatic officials made a series of announcements Friday on Iran, urging the country to re-impose its moratorium on nuclear research and reiterating an offer to enrich uranium in Russia, while playing down concerns over deliveries of missile systems to the Islamic Republic.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said: "We are again calling on Iran to revise its decisions, return to the moratorium, and maintain full and transparent cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency."
Tehran announced Tuesday that it was abandoning a two-year moratorium on research into uranium enrichment, which some nations fear will be used to develop nuclear weapons, although the country insists it wants nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes. Iran removed the UN seals at its nuclear facilities this week, thereby ending the moratorium.
Germany, Britain and France, the European trio that helped broker the moratorium two years ago, said that they would call an emergency session of the 35-member board of the UN's nuclear watchdog after talks with Iran had reached a "dead end."
Iran argues that as a party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Kamynin also said Friday that Russia, which has in the past defended Iran's right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and is building an $800-million nuclear power plant in the country, was studying the possibility of referring the Iranian "nuclear file" to the UN Security Council.
"We are studying proposals to convene an emergency session of the IAEA's Board of Governors, which will decide the agency's further steps with respect to Iran," the diplomat said.
Kamynin said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would meet with his counterparts from Germany, Britain, and France to discuss the Iran issue. "We will hold discussions with the trio, as well as other parties involved, to find adequate ways to settle the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program by diplomatic means," Kamynin said.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also said Iran could be referred to the UN Security Council, given the current situation surrounding its nuclear program.
"It is a possibility, unless Iran reconsiders its decision to resume uranium enrichment operations," he said.
Ivanov said the situation was getting worse every day, and causing "justifiable concern."
Media meanwhile reported Friday that a Russian delegation had broken off negotiations with Tehran on sales of S-300 air-defense missiles and returned home. The move was alleged to have been in protest at Iran's imminent decision to restart its nuclear programs.
The Russian Defense Ministry and state arms trader Rosoboronexport denied the reports.
"This does not correspond with reality," Ivanov said. "No [Russian] military delegation was in Tehran, and no talks on S-300 [missiles] were held."
Rosoboronexport's Tehran office also said a Russian delegation had not been involved in negotiations for sales of S-300 air-defense missiles to Iran in January.
"There were no talks with Iran on the issue [of S-300 sales] in January this year," a Rosoboronexport official said. "Military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran is conducted in strict compliance with Russia's international obligations."
Nevertheless, Ivanov said the situation around the Iranian "nuclear file" would not affect a contract on the delivery of Russian Tor-M1short-range air-defense systems to Iran.
"This is not related to and cannot be related to the Iranian nuclear file, as this deal is fully in line with all the norms of international law," Ivanov told journalists.
"This purely defensive weapon is designed for air defense purposes, and it cannot hit ground-based targets," he said.
Moscow and Tehran concluded a $700-million contract in late 2005 to deliver 29 Tor-M1s to Iran.
Ivanov also said a Russian proposal to assist Iran to obtain and dispose of nuclear fuel, without carrying out the work itself, still stood.
Russia has proposed that Iran have uranium enriched for its future nuclear power plants in other countries, particularly in Russia, Ivanov said. Spent nuclear fuel could also be sent for processing to Russia or other countries, he added.
"Therefore, we can provide Iran with the opportunity to develop its nuclear energy without violating international regulations," he said.
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