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IAEA Meeting Extended to Saturday, Aiming to Strike Deal on Iran's Nuclear Issue

Posted on: Saturday, 24 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

IAEA meeting extended to Saturday, aiming to strike deal on Iran's nuclear issue

VIENNA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The IAEA boarding meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue was extended to Saturday to allow more time for making a compromise deal, sources in Vienna said Friday.

The board of governors meeting, the decision-making body of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), adjourned from midday Thursday, and informal close-door discussions on the EU's revised proposal were still going on.

The EU trio -- Britain, Germany and France -- tabled early this week a draft resolution demanding the IAEA refer the Iran case to the UN Security Council, which has a final say over whether to impose sanctions against Iran.

Faced with rejections from some members of the IAEA board, including Russia and some Non-aligned Movement (NAM) countries, the EU on Thursday backed away from its call to have Iran immediately reported to the Security Council.

However, the revised draft resolution still faces opposition from some IAEA board members, notably Russia, who made clear Thursday its displeasure on the new proposal.

The EU trio were still considering softening its position by taking out words on notification of Article 12 of the IAEA Statute, but the "non compliance" on the part of Iran would be still kept at a possible third version of its draft resolution, diplomats in Vienna said.

According to the IAEA rules, the draft resolution should be formally tabled 24 hours before a final decision. The EU would possibly table the third version of the draft resolution later Friday so as to wrap up a deal on Saturday.

The EU wants a consensus on its resolution within the IAEA board in a bid to push more pressure on Iran.

However, the United States and the EU threatened to seek a vote on the first version of the draft resolution, which demands immediate reporting of the Iran case to the UN Security Council if no consensus was reached within the IAEA board on its new version.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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