Draft text for UN Council statement on Iran

United Nations, Mar 15: Following is the text of proposals for a U.N. Security Council statement, backed by the United States, Britain and France and distributed to all 15 council members.

THE SECURITY COUNCIL: Notes with serious concern the many IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) reports and resolutions related to Iran's nuclear program, reported to it by the IAEA Director General, including the February IAEA Board Resolution (GOV/2006/14); Also notes with serious concern that the (IAEA) Director General's report of 27 February lists a number of outstanding issues and concerns, including topics which could have a military nuclear dimension, resulting in an absence of confidence that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes; Endorses the IAEA Board of Governors' continuing role, and commends and encourages the Director General of the IAEA and its secretariat for their ongoing professional and impartial efforts to resolve outstanding issues in Iran; Notes with regret Iran's decision to resume enrichment-related activities and to suspend co-operation with the IAEA under the Additional Protocol (of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that allows spot inspections); Calls upon Iran to take the steps needed to begin building confidence in establishing the exclusively peaceful purpose of its nuclear program and resolve outstanding questions by fully complying with the requirements set out by the IAEA Board, and specifically: (i) to reestablish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, as set out in Board resolutions and to be verified by the IAEA;

(ii) to reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water; (iii) promptly to ratify and implement in full the Additional Protocol; (iv) to resume implementation of the Additional Protocol, which Iran signed on 18 December 2003, and, pending ratification, to continue to act in accordance with its provisions; and (v) to implement transparency measures and engage in active cooperation, as requested by the Director General including in GOV/2005/75, which extend beyond the formal requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual use equipment, certain military owned workshops and research and development locations, as the IAEA may request in support of its ongoing investigations; Underlines that full and sustained suspension is essential to build confidence and address outstanding issues; Reminds all States of their obligations under Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) to establish and enforce effective measures, including export controls, to prevent proliferation; Reaffirms that proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security; Expresses the conviction that continued Iranian enrichment-related activity would intensify international concern, whereas full, verified Iranian compliance with the requirements set out by the IAEA Board would pave the way to a negotiated solution that guarantees Iran's nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes; Requests that the Director General of the IAEA reports to the Security Council in [14?] days on Iranian compliance with the requirements set out by the IAEA Board, and agrees to keep this issue under review.

REUTERS