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Russia Opposes Referral of Iran to UN Security Council

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 21:00 CDT

Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS

Moscow, 21 September: The Russian Foreign Ministry considers "proposals that Iran's nuclear programme be referred to the UN Security Council as counterproductive and unconducive to the search for a solution to the problem by political and diplomatic methods". This was stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry today in connection with an EU resolution on the Iranian nuclear programme circulated at a session of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA].

Moscow is willing to "work with all interested countries on a draft IAEA Board of Governors resolution that assesses the situation in a balanced fashion and contributes to the search for solutions with regard to reliable guarantees concerning Iran's civil nuclear programme", the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.

"Our assumption is that a detailed discussion of all aspects surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme will take place at the session of the IAEA Board of Governors from 19 to 23 September on the basis of the relevant 2 September report by the agency's director-general, Muhammad al-Baradi'i," the ministry said.

"This report forms a good basis for the continuation of calm depoliticized work within the framework of the IAEA to resolve this problem," the Russian Federation Foreign Ministry believes. "The document, as well as the director-general's speech, noted progress in rectifying Iran's past shortcomings in fulfilling the agreement on guarantees." Al-Baradi'i said that Tehran "is continuing to observe its obligations under the agreement on guarantees and the additional protocol to it, providing timely access to nuclear materials and installations in Iran for agency inspectors".

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry noted, "there remain a number of issues that demand additional investigation by the agency". The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed certainty that "given full and proactive cooperation and openness on Iran's part, they will all be resolved".

As for the document on Iran that has been submitted by the Europeans for the Board of Governors session, "this is not for the time being a draft resolution, but only some elements of one, which have only just begun to be discussed", the ministry said.

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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