Iran terms Russian proposal insufficient
TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said here Friday that a Russian proposal over its uranium enrichment program was insufficient to meet Iran's needs but not negative.
"The Russian proposal fails to meet our nuclear energy needs, but we cannot say it is a negative one, so we are considering further negotiations with the Russians," Larijani was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.
Larijani made the comments upon his arrival in Tehran back from China after a two-day visit, during which he held talks with Chinese officials on the latest developments of the Iranian nuclear issue and reiterated that Iran was still engaged in diplomatic efforts to solve the issue.
"We think Mr. Larijani has showed some degree of flexibility during his stay in Beijing, and he has voiced the Islamic Republic's readiness to seek a solution acceptable to all concerned parties through negotiations," a diplomatic source told Xinhua.
Previously, Larijani made a diplomatic trip to Russia on Tuesday and Wednesday, which Iran defined as "a usual exchange of visits" but was widely viewed as aimed at seeking Moscow's support on the nuclear issue.
Iran is currently under mounting pressure of the European Union (EU) to halt its nuclear fuel research work which it resumed on Jan. 10 after a two-and-half-year suspension.
The EU is also pressing Tehran on the Russian proposal, which Moscow revealed in December 2005 and suggested a joint venture in Russia to enrich uranium for Iran.
Iran, terming the Russian proposal as inadequate, has said it welcomes Russia to participate in its enrichment program but will never accept uranium enrichment outside its own territory.
Based on the United States' accusation that Iran is developing nuclear weapons secretly, the EU insists that Iran's full mastery of uranium enrichment technology would possibly lead to military usage.
In response to Tehran's defiant resumption of nuclear research work, the EU trio of Britain, France and Germany has called for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors on Feb. 2-3 to vote for referring the Iranian nuclear file to the UN Security Council.
Iran has said that it will never give up its legitimate rights even before the UN Security Council, warning that it would resume uranium enrichment at the industrial production level if the case was submitted.
Iran rejects the U.S. charge as politically motivated and says its nuclear research is completely peaceful.
"The Russian proposal fails to meet our nuclear energy needs, but we cannot say it is a negative one, so we are considering further negotiations with the Russians," Larijani was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.
Larijani made the comments upon his arrival in Tehran back from China after a two-day visit, during which he held talks with Chinese officials on the latest developments of the Iranian nuclear issue and reiterated that Iran was still engaged in diplomatic efforts to solve the issue.
"We think Mr. Larijani has showed some degree of flexibility during his stay in Beijing, and he has voiced the Islamic Republic's readiness to seek a solution acceptable to all concerned parties through negotiations," a diplomatic source told Xinhua.
Previously, Larijani made a diplomatic trip to Russia on Tuesday and Wednesday, which Iran defined as "a usual exchange of visits" but was widely viewed as aimed at seeking Moscow's support on the nuclear issue.
Iran is currently under mounting pressure of the European Union (EU) to halt its nuclear fuel research work which it resumed on Jan. 10 after a two-and-half-year suspension.
The EU is also pressing Tehran on the Russian proposal, which Moscow revealed in December 2005 and suggested a joint venture in Russia to enrich uranium for Iran.
Iran, terming the Russian proposal as inadequate, has said it welcomes Russia to participate in its enrichment program but will never accept uranium enrichment outside its own territory.
Based on the United States' accusation that Iran is developing nuclear weapons secretly, the EU insists that Iran's full mastery of uranium enrichment technology would possibly lead to military usage.
In response to Tehran's defiant resumption of nuclear research work, the EU trio of Britain, France and Germany has called for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors on Feb. 2-3 to vote for referring the Iranian nuclear file to the UN Security Council.
Iran has said that it will never give up its legitimate rights even before the UN Security Council, warning that it would resume uranium enrichment at the industrial production level if the case was submitted.
Iran rejects the U.S. charge as politically motivated and says its nuclear research is completely peaceful.
posted by Marko at 1/27/2006 06:25:00 AM
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