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European powers call for UN action over Iran

European powers call for UN action over Iran
Updated Thu. Jan. 12 2006 11:24 PM ET
CTV.ca News

Foreign ministers from the Britain, France and Germany have reached a "dead end" in efforts to convince Iran to stop nuclear research, and want the UN Security Council to get involved.

The so-called EU3 -- issued a joint statement Thursday saying the Islamic nation seems "intent on turning its back on better relations with the international community."

However UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, told him Iran was interested in negotiating with the European countries, but it wanted a deadline.

"He affirmed to me that they are interested in serious and constructive negotiations, but within a timeframe, indicating that the last time they did it for 2 1/2 years and no result," Annan said.

Iran broke UN seals at a uranium enrichment plant Tuesday, ending a two-year moratorium on such work.

The statement called for a special session of the United Nation's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has the power to refer such cases to the Security Council.

"From our point of view, the time has come for the UN Security Council to become involved," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after meeting with his French and British counterparts and the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.

Canada also supports the EU3's statement.

"Canada supports the call for an extraordinary meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors to report the matter to the United Nations Security Council at the earliest opportunity," Foreign Affairs Canada said in a statement Thursday.

Solana stressed the coalition was willing to enter into a new round of negotiations with Iran, echoing Steinmeier's call to solve the problem "diplomatically, multilaterally and by peaceful means."

If brought to the Council, Iran could face widespread sanctions. The statement -- which cited Iran's "documented record of concealment and deception" -- did not say what measures the EU would support.

Next move

Solana will now head to the United States -- which has been vocal in its desire to keep Iran's nuclear program to a minimum -- for strategy consultations in light of the negotiation breakdown.

Meanwhile, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns will travel to the three Europeans countries involved for similar talks.

Burns will also consult in India, according to a State Department official who spoke on a condition of anonymity. The Department itself has not yet issued a formal statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States, working with its European allies, called on the UN to demand that Tehran stop its nuclear program.

She told Associated Press she was "gravely concerned" by Iran's secret operations.

Rice wouldn't say if the U.S. has enough votes in the Security Council to punish Iran.

"It is very clear that everyone believes a very important threshold has been cleared," she said.

Even Russia, a long-time ally of Iran who offered to enrich uranium for that country to avoid drawing international scrutiny, has considered reversing its previously negative stance on taking the matter to the UN.

Russia's foreign minister told Russian radio that officials from his country would meet with Chinese, E.U. and American diplomats in London next week to discuss the matter.

Sergey Lavrov said Iran's latest move did not violate international law but said the country is avoiding "serious questions" from the IAEA.

"Our main task is to persuade Tehran through joint efforts to return to the moratorium," he said.

China also encouraged restraint and more talks toward a peaceful solution, but did not say whether it supports a Security Council-imposed solution.

China "hopes that all parties concerned can exercise restraint and resolve this within the IAEA framework and through peaceful negotiations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing.

Both China and Russia are members of the Atomic Energy Agency, where the decision now rests.

Moving towards uranium enrichment

The contentious research involves uranium enrichment, part of both nuclear energy development and the creation of nuclear weapons. Iran insists its enrichment efforts are only to produce fuel for power plants.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday he will go ahead with the program and accused his opponents -- who he called bullies -- of trying to stifle his country's rights and development.

"I tell those superpowers that, with strength and prudence, Iran will pave the way to achieving peaceful nuclear energy," he said.

With files from Associated Press