UN Council powers mull increasing pressure on Iran

Unites Nations, Mar 11: The five permanent members of the UN Security Council ended a second round of talks on how to persuade Iran to suspend uranium enrichment-related works, but there was no sign they had agreed on a statement.

The British and French UN ambassadors, Emyr Jones Parry and Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, both yesterday said the consultation will continue with the United States, Russia and China on a statement on Iran's nuclear activities, an indication the five had not agreed on a text.

Most envoys expect the full 15-member council to issue a statement sometime next week in response to a report from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's nuclear activities. The report cleared the way for the council to take up for the first time Iran's nuclear program that the United States and others say is a cover for bomb-making.

''We talked about our objectives, how the Security Council can reinforce the role of the IAEA,'' said China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, after the hour-and-a-half meeting.

Britain and France distributed a text on Wednesday for a meeting of the five powers -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- to consider, parts of which were read to Reuters. It echoed demands of the IAEA governing board that Iran suspend all uranium-enrichment activities and answer outstanding questions about its atomic programs.

It would give ''full support'' to the IAEA and ask the UN nuclear watchdog for a report in a short time frame, that has not been agreed yet. Britain at one point suggested 14 days but most envoys expect a longer timeline.

''We didn't talk about dates yet,'' Wang told reporters when asked about a deadline.

Resolution

But the next step is the difficult one. Normally a statement is followed by a resolution demanding Iran comply and hinting at consequences, which might lead to some low-level sanctions, like a travel or assets freeze. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said several times this week the Security Council should not take the lead on the crisis. China is thought to agree.

A resolution in the Security Council needs a minimum of nine votes and no veto from any of its permanent members.

Lavrov told state television Rossiya yesterday that although the situation was critical, it ''does not mean that everybody now has to go to the Security Council.'' ''It means we all have to get together again to collectively find a new consensus regarding our strategy at the current stage,'' Lavrov said.

He proposed further talks, presumably in Vienna that would include the IAEA, the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, ''I hope the parties will get back to the table, and Iran will take the necessary steps to cooperate with the atomic agency.'' He said Iran had to convince the international community ''that indeed its ambition is peaceful use of nuclear energy.'' But like the United States, British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed to pursue Iran's case through the Security Council, saying a failure by Tehran to meet its global obligations would lead to ''a serious situation.''

''The key to this is in Iran's hand,'' US Ambassador John Bolton said. ''If they give up their pursuit of nuclear weapons, then a variety of other things are possible.'' But Bolton again said that if Iran did not comply, ''we will think of other options because all options are on the table, as they must be, to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.''

US officials in Washington have indicated the United States would seek its own coalition of countries to impose punitive measures on Iran if all action in the Security Council failed.

Reuters