US Rejects Call For Timeout In Iranian Nuclear Crisis

NUKEWARS

UN nuclear chief Mohamad ElBaradei. Photo courtesy AFP.

by Staff Writers
United Nations (AFP) Jan 29, 2007
The United States on Monday rejected a proposal by the UN nuclear chief to call "timeout" in the Iranian nuclear crisis, saying the UN resolutions already being applied were not up for renegotiation. "There is a path laid out for suspension and that is Iranian suspension of their enrichment activities to be responded to by the Council.

"So that is very clear and it's not subject to reinterpretation," the US representative to the United Nations, Alejandro Wolff, said.

UN nuclear chief Mohamad ElBaradei proposed on Friday that to end the standoff Tehran should stop uranium enrichment and the UN should simultaneously suspend sanctions against the Islamic republic.

Washington has led calls for Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, accusing Iranian leaders of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons.

A UN Security Council resolution passed on December 23 imposed sanctions on Iran until it suspends uranium enrichment, which makes fuel for civilian nuclear reactors but also produces material for atomic bombs.

But Iran continues to defy the international community and has vowed to increase its enrichment capacity by installing 3,000 centrifuges, arguing that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian energy purposes.

Russia's Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, was more upbeat about ElBaradei's proposal however, saying: "All acts would have to be verified. I personally read Mr ElBaradei's remarks as a very useful reminder of the positive clauses that are included in the resolution."

Russia is a long-term ally of Iran and Moscow's security chief Igor Ivanov on Sunday vowed to finish on time a nuclear power plant being built with Russian help in Bushehr on Iran's southwestern Gulf coast.

Source: Agence France-Presse

NUKEWARS

North Korea And US To Tackle Sanctions

Seoul (UPI) Jan 29, 2007
Financial officials from North Korea and the United States are set to meet this week to discuss U.S. sanctions on the communist country, with rising hopes of a breakthrough over the key sticking point in the prolonged nuclear standoff. Analysts in Seoul say the results of the financial talks that will begin on Tuesday would determine the fate of the next round of six-nation nuclear talks expected to open during the second week of February.

SUPERPOWERS China Takes A Few Shots In The Dark Beyond Putin Japanese Minister Rebuked For Roiling US Alliance China Delivers ASAT Shock Threapy To Western Alliance In Denial	NUKEWARS North Korea And US To Tackle Sanctions Sonia Gandhi Says India Still Wants Global Nuclear Disarmament US Rejects Call For Timeout In Iranian Nuclear Crisis Iran Sends Conflicting Signals On Nuclear Work
MISSILE NEWS Russia To Help India Test Supersonic Cruise Missile Iran Remains Defiant On Nuclear As Missile Testing Continues Javelin Joint Venture Earns Logistics Award For Supporting The Warfighter Pakistan Chooses Raytheon's Proven Air Defense Missiles To Secure Borders	MISSILE DEFENSE Successful Missile Defense Intercept Test Takes Place Off Hawaii Russia Criticizes US Missile Shield Plans In Europe Missile Defense System Not Aimed At Russia Says US Is The US Missile Defence Plan A Diplomatic Shot In The Foot
AEROSPACE Bats In Flight Reveal Unexpected Aerodynamics Lockheed Martin And Boeing Form Strategic Alliance To Promote Next-Gen Air Transportation System Time to test the Guardian Missile Defense System For Commercial Aircraft Operational Testing And Evaluation Of Guardian Commercial Airline Anti-Missile System Begins	UAV NEWS Iran Builds Hand-Launched Drones Athena Technologies Guidance and Navigation System Selected Watchkeeper UAV Program Enhanced Fire Scout Makes Flight Debut Israel Developing Massive New Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
IRAQ WARS Dutchman Faces US Iraq Charges A Hopeless Mission For Rice No Need To Expand US Army Petraeus Lists Mistakes In Iraq	MILTECH L-3 Communications' CyTerra Receives Order From US Army For Handheld Mine Detectors Boeing KC-767 Tanker Completes First Contact With Receiver Researchers Develop Next Generation Of Screening Devices USAF Air Tanker Crisis

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement