Iran's objection to ratifying the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol of the IAEA is said to be the main obstacle to dispelling fears that it is not building a nuclear weapon. Iranian and EU officials meet April 10 to try to resolve a stalemate in their negotiations over this issue. If they fail, the EU will likely support the US and refer the case to the UN Security Council.
At the moment, Iran is unwilling to ratify the Additional Protocol because of agreement between the EU and the US on its interpretation; none of the two settle for anything less than that inspectors see Iran destroy a wide arsenal of nuclear fuel-cycle capabilities that it has been building on and off since the Shah was driven out in 1979. It would also have to abandon all its projects to enrichment, reprocess and convert uranium as well as its heavy-water production.
One option that Iran might be willing to buy into -even if only partially- would be to compensate Iran for giving up the right to produce reactor fuel. Under this construction, major nuclear suppliers including Russia, the United States, and certain European countries would provide a binding guarantee for Iran to receive fuel-cycle services-the supply of fresh reactor fuel as well as retrieval and storage of spent fuel-on a commercial basis for any nuclear power reactors that it builds as long as it meets its commitments.
This option is disfavored by the US, which wants Iran to cease all nuclear operations full stop. Earlier negotiations between Europe and Iran stalled. The EU countries conducting them indicated that they might support the U.S. intention to hand the issue over to the UN Security Council. This means that military force is not excluded if Tehran does not accept the demand to make its current nuclear halt permanent.
Observers say that the best hopes to avoid this during the negotiations starting 10 April will be a focus on strengthening rather than discarding the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which Iran is a signatory. This is very much in line with traditional 'soft' EU foreign policy. Some observers fear that the US cooperation with the EU on the issue means that the EU is alienated from its earlier standpoint.
The Additional Protocol allows for intrusive inspections by the IAEA on a no-notice basis. Iran no doubt will argue here that this means reconfirming and beginning implementation of the obligations the NPT imposes on nuclear weapons states such as the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia to move towards full nuclear disarmament.
Angelique van Engelen is a freelance writer. She has lived for over three years in the Middle East. She runs http://www.contentclix.com and also contributes to a weblog http://www.contentclix.com She can be emailed via http://www.contentclix.com
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport carAn idea to defend oil infrastructure in the Middle East... Read More
The current field of political sciences is dominated by a... Read More
The man on the tape raised his hand, pointing a... Read More
For years I have been amazed as I've listened to... Read More
How do you feel about Terminator Seeds from Monsanto? I... Read More
You are not going to believe what is going on... Read More
The use of religion is well-documented as a social engineering... Read More
The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More
-The Protocol plan 'will remain invisible until the moment when... Read More
The Flow of Trade is a major consideration of civilizations... Read More
Introduction:Although politicians and so-called "Intelligence Experts" are the ones appearing... Read More
Please read through this quick thought and discussion as if... Read More
The People's Liberation Army of China invaded Tibet in 1949.... Read More
Many have lost faith in the government and are completely... Read More
The process of researching this topic has been an interesting... Read More
Last week, I began my look ahead to the 2008... Read More
Contrary to the Hobbesian prediction of anarchy (freedom) and brutish... Read More
Most government agencies cannot pass an audit of their expenses.... Read More
I watch the TV news and I get angry. I... Read More
"Similar to Medieval Inquisitions, judges have been given the authority,... Read More
Possible UAV materials are infinite: Foam, Composite, Balsa Wood, Plastic,... Read More
With the recent shakeups in the presidential cabinet, it has... Read More
Hello! Happy new year. May you live a long healthy... Read More
In Belarus parliament is going to struggle with degeneration of... Read More
The clause (c) of Electronic Crime Act 2004 has been... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..Many times our government regulatory over embellish problems in the... Read More
Maybe some of the people complaining ought to go to... Read More
It is time for a change. A change in philosophy,... Read More
The gun control debate in America is a battle between... Read More
Since the United States Government is promoting the whistle blower... Read More
Legislation was introduced into Congress this week that would establish... Read More
All to often law makers and regulators create rules and... Read More
Why did the California energy crisis happen? Who is to... Read More
I read an interesting article in foreign Affairs magazine last... Read More
Where are all the high-speed trains we were promised? Where... Read More
As we reel from the news of the recent bombings... Read More
Leave it to the Columbia City Police Officers Association in... Read More
I. WARS ARE BASIC CONFLICTS OVER LAND. II. BOUNDARIES. THE... Read More
They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More
I, too, am saddened by the disaster in New Orleans... Read More
The European Court of Justice ("ECJ") ruled in Praktiker Bau-... Read More
The City of Portland is going after any small business,... Read More
Have you noticed that the when the service men who... Read More
President Bush and Secretary Powell should hang their heads in... Read More
Blessed with Chinese GDP growth rates (7-8% annually in each... Read More
It never fails to amaze me. HM Customs and Excise... Read More
Question: Dr. Vaknin ? is it true that you are... Read More
It is widely known in the Homosexual Male Populations that... Read More
J. Edgar Hoover and LBJ used to enjoy watching Hoover's... Read More
(Note: This article was written slightly before the 2004 election;... Read More
Political |