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EU calls on Iran to cooperate with nuclear watchdog |
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Tuesday, 07 September 2004 |
Reuters
 AMSTERDAM - The Dutch government, holders of the rotating European Union presidency, has called on Iran to do more to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The Dutch made the call in a statement late on Monday after a visit by Hassan Rohani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and after EU foreign ministers discussed the issue of Iran at a meeting in the Netherlands at the weekend.
Rohani met Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Foreign Minister Bernard Bot.
"Minister Bot told Rohani that the intensification of Iran's cooperation with the IAEA about Iran's nuclear programme is needed to regain the trust of the international community," said the Dutch statement, issued in the name of the EU presidency.
"The Dutch presidency also raised a number of other concerns, such as human rights, terrorism and Iran's position towards Israel."
At their weekend meeting, EU foreign ministers said they were discussing whether to take Iran to the U.N. Security Council for its failure to cooperate fully with U.N. efforts to ensure it is not secretly trying to develop atomic weapons.
Diplomats say Britain, Germany and France, who have tried to coax Tehran into halting uranium enrichment, are preparing to draft a resolution to be presented to the IAEA Board of Governors when it begins meeting on Sept. 13.
Washington accuses Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons while the oil-producing Islamic Republic insists its programme is purely for electricity generation. |
