|
Nuclear powers clash with Iran
at non-proliferation conference
AFP
Friday May 11, 2007
Nuclear weapons states warned Thursday that peaceful use of nuclear
energy requires honoring the Non-Proliferation Treaty but Iran rejected
charges it is failing to do this.
"The Iranian nuclear program does not currently respect the
conditions set in the treaty for the right to the peaceful use of
nuclear energy," French ambassador Jean-Francois Dobelle told
130 states at a conference in Vienna on improving the 189-nation
NPT, the world's basic agreement against the spread of nuclear weapons.
The UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency "has determined
that Iran is not respecting its (NPT) safeguards agreement,"
Dobelle said, referring to IAEA resolutions that Tehran has hidden
sensitive nuclear work and is not fully cooperating with IAEA inspectors.
The UN Security Council has imposed two rounds of sanctions on
Iran for defying a call to stop enriching uranium, and the five
permanent Council members plus Germany met in Berlin Thursday to
discuss how to handle the crisis.
The United States is the leading nation in charging that Iran is
trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a peaceful
program to generate atomic power.
But Iranian official Hamid Baeidi Nejad said it was "unwarranted
... to take legally flawed, unnecessary and unjustified action against
the peaceful nuclear program of my country."
He said UN sanctions against Iran for continuing to enrich uranium
were aimed "at depriving our nation of its inalienable rights"
to a civilian nuclear program under IAEA statutes.
The conference in Vienna is the first of several meetings ahead
of a general review in 2010 of the landmark treaty, which came into
effect in 1970 and which many complain has a flaw since it allows
states to peacefully develop technology that can also be used to
make atom bombs.
North Korea developed nuclear weapons after withdrawing from the
NPT.
Iran had held up debate here for six days as it objected to an
agenda item calling for full compliance with the NPT but diplomats
said serious work was finally underway this week, with the meeting
to end Friday.
British ambassador John Duncan told reporters: "Despite the
best efforts of the Iranians, this conference has really demonstrated
the common interest of the world community in dealing with nuclear
issues."
Duncan said the meeting was "characterized by an open and
often frank dialogue and that represents a watershed in recent arms
control and disarmaments discussions. That is very encouraging for
the future."
The conference also debated a the idea of a Middle East Nuclear
Weapons Free Zone, as Arab nations criticized Israel for developing
nuclear weapons and for not signing the NPT.
Indonesian representative Triyono Wibowo on behalf of the non-aligned
movement noted "with regret that no progress has been achieved
with regard to Israel's accession to the treaty."
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
|
