EU Plan to Send Iran to UN Council Is Put on Hold

The European Union put on hold a U.S.-
backed proposal to send Iran to the United Nations Security
Council for possible sanctions after a group of developing nations
supported by China and Russia defended the Islamic Republic's
right to enrich uranium.
An alternative plan, offered by French, German and U.K.
diplomats at a meeting of the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency, finds Iran in ``non-compliance'' with nuclear safeguards
agreements. The draft doesn't refer the dispute to the Security
Council, according to a copy obtained by Bloomberg News.
The new proposal from the ``EU-3,'' which also has U.S.
support, asks the IAEA to prepare a report that may be sent to the
council as early as November if Iran is still in ``non-
compliance'' or threatens ``peace and security.'' The Europeans
haven't withdrawn the tougher resolution, which would refer Iran
to the council immediately, leaving open the possibility they may
still force a vote to sanction the Islamic Republic.
``The suspension of Iran's enrichment and reprocessing
activities is a voluntary and non-legally-binding confidence-
building measure,'' said Malaysia's Rajmah Hussain, representing
the Non-Aligned Movement of 14 developing nations. The IAEA ``is
the sole competent authority for verification,'' he said.
A meeting of the agency's 35-member governing board was in
its fourth day at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

Competing Resolution

A competing resolution proposed to the governors by the Non-
Aligned Movement asks Iran to ``continue its proactive
cooperation'' with the IAEA. The meeting was suspended until
tomorrow to give diplomats time to agree on the final wording of a
resolution on the issue.
Diplomats are trying to decide how to deal with Iran's
decision to remove seals from a uranium-conversion facility on
Aug. 9. Iran, with the world's second-biggest oil reserves, says
it wants enriched uranium to generate electricity. The U.S. says
the Islamic Republic wants the material to build an atomic bomb.
The EU says it's ``gravely concerned'' that Iran continues to
convert raw uranium into uranium hexafluoride gas at its Isfahan
facility. Western diplomats propose that IAEA inspectors be
granted ``unrestricted access'' to Iranian facilities, including
military sites at Parchin and Lavisan-Shian.
Iran's delegate to the IAEA, Mohamad Akhondzadeh, told
reporters the country ``is committed to its obligations.'' The
Islamic Republic wants to continue developing its nuclear
capability by creating international joint ventures to promote
investment and facilitate openness, he said.
Russia and China today issued statements urging diplomats at
the board meeting to resolve the issue at the IAEA and not to
refer the dispute to the Security Council. Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday that a Security Council
referral would be ``counter-productive,'' RIA-Novosti reported.
``Whatever it takes to get the parties together is a good
move,'' IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said today in
Vienna. ``The best is to get a unanimous board.''
The Non-Aligned Movement countries opposing sending Iran to
the Security Council are: Algeria, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, India,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia,
Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.