EU3 ambassadors: Iran entitled to peaceful nuclear energy
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, March 4, IRNA
Iran-Nuclear-EU3
The three European heavyweights here on Wednesday admitted Iran's right for peaceful use of nuclear energy but stressed the need for the country to re-build international confidence which had been lost over what they called '18-year record of concealment'.
"... Iran has the right to have access to peaceful and civilian nuclear energy but that the case of importance is not about Iran's right but about regaining confidence which was lost because of 18-year record of concealment," said German ambassador to Tehran Baron Paul von Maltzahn in an interview with a group of IRNA reporters at the British Embassy in Tehran on Wednesday.
"We want Iran to have civilian nuclear power if that's the decision by the nation and government of Iran," said the UK ambassador Richard Dalton.
"... Nobody questions the right of Iran to have pacific nuclear program," said French ambassador, Bernard Poletti.
The three ambassadors stressed the need to tackle Iran's nuclear problem through dialogue.
Poletti referred to the fuel cycle and the policy of the concealment of the fuel cycle as the problems in Iran's nuclear case.
Dalton stressed the influential role of Iran in the New York and Vienna sessions, where its peaceful nuclear program will be under discussion.
He said the three countries (UK, Germany and France), which they (the ambassadors) represented in the meeting (with IRNA reporters), along with the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana have for more than two years been engaged in serious negotiations on Iran's peaceful nuclear program.
The French ambassador said the EU did not see any economic, industrial or commercial justification for using the fuel cycle at present and presently, there is no need for the fuel cycle for peaceful and non-military purposes.
"We have always supported a peaceful nuclear program, that is building power stations; but we do not understand what are the goals of Iran for having a full fuel cycle program.
"Let's remember that the fuel cycle can either serve peaceful objectives like power stations, which Iran has no need for at present, or it can be used for production of nuclear arms," Poletti added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Poletti said Iran is entitled to peaceful use of nuclear energy but the right also implies obligations, including full adherence to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and addressing the concerns of the international community.
Dalton said that in fact the international community's concern is as legitimate as Iran's right to attain peaceful nuclear energy.
Any country with a large nuclear program is naturally subject to suspicions and inspections, especially when the country is an NPT signatory as well, he added.
German ambassador cited a headline in Iranian press concerning Iran's readiness to welcome Russian proposal and said the EU is pleased with Iran's decision to take Russian proposal for settlement of its nuclear case seriously.
Russia has since long been interested in finding a way out of the dilemma in the Iran-EU3 talks, said the ambassador.
German ambassador said as it is the view of the EU3 and the majority of the international community, "as long as we are in the process of confidence building, Iran should refrain from activities which might lead to enrichment of nuclear materials and this means that as long as we are in the process of confidence building there should be no enrichment on Russian or Iranian soil and that's where Russian proposal comes in."
All are well aware of the EU3's stance, that is as long as the confidence has not been restored, there should be no enrichment activity on Iranian soil, which also includes the R&D activities, he added.
Maltzahn said that's a view also shared with Russia.
He reiterated French ambassador's claim that there is no immediate need for Iran to have any enrichment because a deal with Russia would provide Tehran with fuel for a long period of time.
All countries concerned with Iran's nuclear case call for full suspension of the enrichment, asking Iran to make a recourse to full suspension and implement the additional protocol, said Poletti, adding that that's what is asked for by the EU3, China, the US and all the countries that adopted the IAEA Board resolution with an overwhelming majority without having any difference on it.
Dalton provided the audience with a summary of the discussions, saying, "We are looking forward not back.
"We want to find a negotiated solution acceptable to all parties; we want to reinforce diplomacy," he added.
"The (Iran) dossier has already been reported to the UN Security Council; but Iran has a full opportunity to influence the way in which the discussions are to be held in New York and beforehand in Vienna," added the British ambassador.
He invited Iran to reconsider full suspension of enrichment activities, including research and development.
"Still essential for resolving the problem, we are inviting Iran to reconsider its decisions to reject the idea of suspension of its controversial nuclear activities; this would be the key to unlocking the negotiations and for resuming a positive trend of developments," he added.
"My advice to the Iranians is to create an environment which would allow the negotiations to go forward," he said.
In order to remove the uncertainties, Iran's full transparency is essential, he said.
1420/2322/1412
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