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IAEA says no evidence of Iranian n-weapons plan
Report likely to influence agency's Vienna meet
By Atul Aneja
03/02/06 "The
Hindu" -- -- DUBAI: As the countdown for a crucial
meeting on Iran on March 6 gets under way, the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) has revealed that it has not found any evidence
that Teheran had diverted material towards making atomic weapons.
In its report which has been circulated to its 35 board members, the
IAEA said that its three years of investigations had not shown "any
diversion of nuclear material to nuclear weapons or other nuclear
explosive devices", the Associated Press reported.
Cooperation sought
However, it called upon Iran to substantially increase its
cooperation with the IAEA inspectors as the agency has not been able
"to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or
activities in Iran."
Without heightened cooperation, the agency would be unable to
establish whether some of Iran's past nuclear activities under wraps
were not linked to the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki who has been visiting Japan
said, "They (IAEA) could not find evidence which shows that Iran has
diverted from its peaceful purposes of nuclear activities in Iran."
The report is likely to strongly influence the March 6 meeting in
Vienna where the IAEA board is expected to discuss the future course
of action on Iran.
On February 4, the board had decided to report Iran's case to the
U.N. Security Council, which can take action against Iran, including
the imposition of economic sanctions.
Buoyed by the report, Iran is rushing the head of its Supreme
National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani to Russia for another
round of talks.
A Russian delegation led by Sergei Kiriyenko held talks with Iran
over the weekend.
These discussions had revolved around the establishment of a joint
venture facility in Russia, which would produce enriched uranium for
generating electricity.
That meeting produced an "agreement in principle" on this subject.
However, later, differences appear to have surfaced on another issue
— on whether Iran would be allowed to operate a small-scale
enrichment plant for research purposes.
The IAEA report said that Iran had begun enrichment using 10
centrifuges — a move which can result in the production of only
minute quantities of enriched uranium.
Copyright © 2006, The Hindu
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