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NAM stands against EU Troika marathon efforts to take Iran to SC

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Vienna, Feb 2, IRNA
Iran-IAEA-Nuclear Program
Board of Governors of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) opened emergency meeting on Thursday amid marathon efforts of European officials in respective capitals particularly in the past three days to take Iran to UN Security Council with drafting a resolution for the 35-member governing board.

During talks with Iranian officials, the European negotiators had been focusing on diplomatic avenues for easing tension, but, the trend underwent a dramatic change after foreign ministers of the European states held a prolonged meeting 5+1 in London to draft a resolution for the Board of Governors.

The draft resolution calls for IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to report Iranian nuclear program to United Nations Security Council and said that there is distinction between reporting Iran to Security Council and referring Iran to the body.

Iranian officials in charge of Iran-EU talks said that for Iran there is no difference between reporting and referring Iranian case to the Security Council.

Last weekend, they held talks with representatives of European Union in Brussels and though it proved to be without result in practice, but, Iranian officials advised the European counterparts to follow logic and wisdom.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called for resumption of talks to ease tension, but, certain powers, the US on top made every effort to oblige Russia and China not to make objection to the Security Council referral.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said on Wednesday that with preparing the draft resolution, the EU Troika have in fact ordered the 35-member body to follow their lead.

"The member states have the right to put forward their proposal to Board of Governors of the UN nuclear agency, but, the EU Troika has violated procedure of the international body expecting the other member states to approve the draft," Larijani said.

"We have advised our European partners not to go extremes in dealing with Iranian nuclear program," Larijani said.

The developing nations within the alliance of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have always supported Iranian nuclear program and defended Iran in the context of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Larijani said that NPT advocates disarmament of nuclear arms and required the UN nuclear agency to help developing nations to apply nuclear energy for welfare and economic and social development.

"The developing nations will not accept decision of the nuclear powers to deprive them of using nuclear energy for civilian purpose.

NAM member states will not accept apartheid in the field of nuclear energy," he said.

NAM has prepared a statement calling for IAEA Governing Board to wait until the ordinary meeting of the body in March when IAEA Director General is expected to present a report on Iranian nuclear program.

NAM said that obligations of IAEA member states concerning NPT is separate from voluntary actions that the member states take for confidence building.

Iran has made clear that it will suspend all voluntary measures it took since 2003 for confidence building with the international community if Iranian case (be) reported to the Security Council.

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