E.U. set to refer Iran to Security Council on nukes
Berlin/Brussels - The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany appear poised Thursday to have Iran brought before the United Nations Security Council to face possible sanctions for its nuclear programme, officials said.
The next step will be the Security Council,' declared a senior E.U. official in Brussels.
The so-called E.U. Big three and the 25-nation bloc's chief diplomat, Javier Solana, are due to meet in Berlin later Thursday following Iran's decision to reopen its uranium enrichment facility at which it suspended work 14 months ago.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday it was 'likely' that Britain, the E.U. and the U.S. would seek to have Iran hauled before the Security Council.
If the E.U. trio approve a Security Council move they would ask the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to formally vote on taking such a step.
'The focus will be on ensuring the broadest possible consensus and the widest support,' said the E.U. official who noted that while a simple majority of the 35 IAEA governors was enough for a referral, the hope was for a bigger vote of support.
The E.U. has for years been attempting to win over Teheran to trim back its nuclear programme in exchange for trade and aid incentives.
A further round of talks had been planned for January 18 but the E.U. official said current developments meant there was no point in going ahead with the meeting.
Aside from restarting nuclear research, calls by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Israel's destruction have caused dismay in Europe and especially infuriated the German government which views itself as having special obligations to Israel given the Holocaust.
'In current circumstances it is very difficult to talk to Iran,' said the official, who underlined that it was Teheran's actions which were torpedoing dialogue.
'It is not us who are breaking off discussions,' said the official.
The three E.U. foreign ministers are in constant contact with Russia and China regarding Iran and will hold a video conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during their Berlin meeting, the official said.
Meanwhile, a leading Iranian religious exile, Ayatollah Yalal Ganyei, told the newspaper Die Welt the E.U. three realised their policy of what he termed 'appeasement' had been a mistake.
'This conciliatory policy has had a very negative impact on the Iranian people because the message it sends out is that the world is ready to live with the Mullahs,' said Ayatollah Ganyei who lives in Paris.
He added: 'The E.U. was naive if it believed it could hinder (uranium) enrichment.'
The next step will be the Security Council,' declared a senior E.U. official in Brussels.
The so-called E.U. Big three and the 25-nation bloc's chief diplomat, Javier Solana, are due to meet in Berlin later Thursday following Iran's decision to reopen its uranium enrichment facility at which it suspended work 14 months ago.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday it was 'likely' that Britain, the E.U. and the U.S. would seek to have Iran hauled before the Security Council.
If the E.U. trio approve a Security Council move they would ask the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to formally vote on taking such a step.
'The focus will be on ensuring the broadest possible consensus and the widest support,' said the E.U. official who noted that while a simple majority of the 35 IAEA governors was enough for a referral, the hope was for a bigger vote of support.
The E.U. has for years been attempting to win over Teheran to trim back its nuclear programme in exchange for trade and aid incentives.
A further round of talks had been planned for January 18 but the E.U. official said current developments meant there was no point in going ahead with the meeting.
Aside from restarting nuclear research, calls by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Israel's destruction have caused dismay in Europe and especially infuriated the German government which views itself as having special obligations to Israel given the Holocaust.
'In current circumstances it is very difficult to talk to Iran,' said the official, who underlined that it was Teheran's actions which were torpedoing dialogue.
'It is not us who are breaking off discussions,' said the official.
The three E.U. foreign ministers are in constant contact with Russia and China regarding Iran and will hold a video conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during their Berlin meeting, the official said.
Meanwhile, a leading Iranian religious exile, Ayatollah Yalal Ganyei, told the newspaper Die Welt the E.U. three realised their policy of what he termed 'appeasement' had been a mistake.
'This conciliatory policy has had a very negative impact on the Iranian people because the message it sends out is that the world is ready to live with the Mullahs,' said Ayatollah Ganyei who lives in Paris.
He added: 'The E.U. was naive if it believed it could hinder (uranium) enrichment.'
posted by Marko at 1/12/2006 10:01:00 AM
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