GERMANY/ ITALY: US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON ACCUSES IRAN OF PURSUING NUCLEARS ARMS RACE/ IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ROME
Record ID:
222911
GERMANY/ ITALY: US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON ACCUSES IRAN OF PURSUING NUCLEARS ARMS RACE/ IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ROME
- Title: GERMANY/ ITALY: US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON ACCUSES IRAN OF PURSUING NUCLEARS ARMS RACE/ IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ROME
- Date: 12th February 2004
- Summary: (EU) BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 12, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN BOLTON, WALKING PAST CAMERA 0.13 2. WIDE OF BOLTON ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.22 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON, SAYING: "The information that the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has learned is certainly consistent with information that we had and it's not surprising. It's another act of Iranian deception, and not something that leads to any feeling of security that they're carrying through on their commitment to suspend enrichment activity. But we'll be looking at it seriously and we'll consult with the German government and the British and the French to try and decide what to do next." 0.59 4. WIDE OF JOURNALISTS LISTENING 1.02 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOLTON, ANSWERING A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING A MILITARY OPTION, SAYING: "The point that we are trying to make is that proliferent states ought to know that we do have the full range of options and that we consider the full range realistic. That's not to say that's anywhere close to our preference for acting. That's why the President in the case of North Korea has been a firm supporter of the six-party talks and why he has said repeatedly he wants the peaceful dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. But make no mistake -- we want the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program." 1.35 6. WIDE OF MEDIA CONFERENCE 1.40 (W6)ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 12, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (AUDIO AS INCOMING) 7. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY WITH POLICE CARS 1.44 8. CLOSE OF SIGN FOR GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY 1.48 9. SLV ENTRANCE TO UNIVERSITY 1.52 10. SLV IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, KAMAL KHARRAZI, ARRIVING FOR MEETING 2.01 11. SLV KHARRAZI SHAKING HANDS WITH RELIGIOUS DIGNITARIES 2.19 12. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAMAL KHARRAZI, SAYING: "Certainly we are not following any programme to produce weapons. We have decided to develop our nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and we insist on that and this is our right, this is our legitimate right, to have access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Especially we do not think that nuclear weapons are going to bring us more security. It is not part of our doctrine and therefore that is why we have signed the additional protocol because we do not have anything to hide and we are ready to be inspected seriously by the IAEA inspectors. And therefore as long as there is the supervision of the IAEA inspection there should not be any concern about the programmes of Iran which are going to be totally peaceful. (QUESTION: SO YOU ARE WILLING TO BE INSPECTED BY THE IAEA, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CONDITIONS?) Right now we are inspected regularly by the IAEA and we are determined to continue the cooperation." 3.35 13. SMV KHARRAZI TALKING WITH OTHERS 3.41 14. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) KHARRAZI, SAYING: "There may be questions by IAEA inspectors but we are ready to verify those. And what has been achieved altogether up to now is out of cooperation with IAEA and as long as we are ready to continue all cooperation therefore all outstanding questions will be verified." 4.13 15. SLV KHARRAZI WALKING ALONG CORRIDOR WITH CARDINAL 4.20 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 27th February 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY/ROME,ITALY
- City:
- Country: Italy Ivory Coast Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA2TZ5CW3K9JNF2Z05KAHTWNM9C
- Story Text: U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton accuses
Iran of pursuing efforts to acquire nuclear arms. Iran insists on
its right to a peaceful nuclear programme.
In a speech to a security conference in Berlin on
Thursday (February 12), U.S. Undersecretary of State, John
Bolton said the U.S. government believes that Iran
continues to pursue a nuclear weapons programme.
"It's another act of Iranian deception, and not
something that leads to any feeling of security that
they're carrying through on their commitment to suspend
enrichment activity. But we'll be looking at it seriously
and we'll consult with the German government and the
British and the French to try and decide what to do next."
Germany, Britain and France persuaded Iran last year to
suspend uranium enrichment and agree to more intrusive
inspections by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Western diplomats earlier told Reuters the IAEA had
uncovered designs for machines in Iran that can be used to
make bomb-grade material, calling into question Tehran's
pledge to cooperate with the agency.
When asked if there may be military repercussions
against such nations, Bolton said, "The point that we are
trying to make is that proliferent states ought to know
that we do have the full range of options and that we
consider the full range realistic. That's not to say that's
anywhere close to our preference for acting."
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, said on
Tehran was ready to help the IAEA verify its nuclear
compliance and insisted on his country's right to a
peaceful nuclear programme.
Asked about the U.S. and IAEA comments expressing
concern over Iranian cooperation on the nuclear issue,
Kharrazi said, "Certainly we are not following any
programme to produce weapons. We have decided to develop
our nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and we insist
on that and this is our right, this is our legitimate
right, to have access to nuclear technology for peaceful
purposes."
"We do not think that nuclear weapons are going to
bring us more security. It is not part of our doctrine and
therefore that is why we have signed the additional
protocol because we do not have anything to hide and we are
ready to be inspected seriously by the IAEA inspectors," he
added.
Separately, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA,
wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times that the
world could be headed for destruction if it does not stop
the spread of widely available atomic weapons technology.
"As long as there is the supervision of the IAEA
inspection there should not be any concern about the
programmes of Iran which are going to be totally peaceful.
Right now we are inspected regularly by the IAEA and we are
determined to continue the cooperation," Kharrazi said.
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