Europe's big 3 to push for cooperation with Iran over nuke
AFP, Vienna
Europe's big three -- Britain, France and Germany -- are not ready to break off cooperation with Iran in uncovering its nuclear secrets despite damning new revelations from the UN nuclear watchdog, diplomats said over the weekend. The Euro-3 told a meeting of European Union states in Vienna Friday that they are to present a draft resolution when the International Atomic Energy Agency meets in the Austrian capital on June 14 urging Iran to answer all the IAEA's remaining questions about alleged weapons-related activities, according to diplomats. The resolution "will be quite factual and reflect the IAEA report (on Iran's nuclear program) but not pass judgement on Iran," a Western diplomat who asked not to be named said. The United States accuses Iran of hiding a program to develop nuclear weapons but is not expected to push for a tough resolution. Washington has called for the IAEA, which has been investigating the Iranian program since February 2003, to refer the Islamic Republic to the UN Security Council for possible international sanctions. But Washington does not have support at the IAEA for its hardline stance and is also hampered by the situation in Iraq, where it needs Iran to at least not inflame the Shia population. Washington accused Iran last week of continuing to hide clandestine nuclear activities, after an IAEA report said agency inspectors had found more traces in Iran of highly enriched uranium (HEU) that could be bomb-grade.
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