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UN Nuclear Chief hails "good progress" with Iran |
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Sunday, 10 February 2008 |
The UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Saturday that the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been making "good progress" to
solve Iran's nuclear crisis.
"Good progress" has been made in finishing the outstanding issues on Iran's
controversial nuclear programs, ElBaradei told a group of high-profile diplomats
at a key security conference in the southern German city of Munich.
ElBaradei is expected to issue a report around Feb. 20 on IAEA's inquiry into
Iran's nuclear activities.
The UN nuclear chief urged western nations to start direct negotiations with
Iran, instead of using sanctions and military threats, to solve the crisis.
"Confidence building can only be attained by direct negotiations," ElBaradei
said.
Some countries, including the United States, has accused Iran of trying to
develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, which has
been repeatedly denied by Tehran.
Meanwhile, the world's major countries are mulling a third sanction resolution
against Iran after the UN Security Council adopted two resolutions -- one in
December 2006 and the other in March 2007 --to force Iran to suspend its uranium
enrichment, a potential way to nuclear weapons.
Iran has defied the possible new sanctions, saying Tehran would show "serious
and logical reaction" if the Security Council issued a third resolution.
The three-day security meeting, which kicked off on Friday, is scheduled to
discuss a range of the world's most thorny issues.
The annual conference was attended by high-profile diplomats including NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana this year.
Source: China View (Xinhua)
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