Solana and Powell disagree over Iran nuclear capability

By David Cronin

Date: 20/11/03

COLIN Powell and Javier Solana failed to reconcile their differences over Iran's nuclear programme when the US secretary of state visited Brussels on Tuesday (18 November).

The previous day, the Union's high representative for foreign affairs insisted Iran had been honest about its programme and that it should not be summoned before the UN's Security Council to answer claims it is breaching the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

But during his Brussels trip, Powell commented: "The fact of the matter is that Iran has been in non-compliance." Although he was pleased Iran seems to be moving in the right direction, he argued that further information was needed before he could say with confidence that Tehran is now upholding the NPT.

Powell also said he harboured reservations about a draft resolution tabled by the UK, France and Germany to the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is understood that this motion, due to be discussed by the IAEA in Vienna today (20 November), falls short of stating that Iran is in non-compliance with the NPT.

Despite the contrasting analysis, Solana strove to emphasize that there is some transatlantic agreement about how to deal with Tehran.

"The objective we share is to prevent Iran from going nuclear," he explained. "We will work together in order not to have a new nuclear state in the Middle East."

Solana said that while it was very clear that Iran had not complied with the NPT in the past, the EU was involved in constructive engagement with its government to ensure Iran does not enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons.

The foreign ministers of the UK, Germany and France won a pledge from Tehran last month that it would cease enriching uranium.

Powell also undertook to act on European concerns about the detention without charge or trial of suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban militants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The US Supreme Court recently ruled that the detainees in the US-controlled naval base can appeal against their incarceration. But it is not scheduled to hear appeals until next summer.

Powell said that the US had to fully interrogate the detainees to elicit any information they may have about international terrorism, but added: "We are trying to resolve detainee cases as fast as we can."

Twenty-five European citizens are among the several hundred people being held at the base.

On the subject of Iraq, Powell said he hoped UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan would soon appoint a new special representative to Baghdad, who would help with establishing an interim government by next summer.

Annan's previous envoy, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, was killed when the UN headquarters in the Iraqi capital was attacked in August.

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml

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