USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER REACT TO EU REPORT ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
Record ID:
223023
USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER REACT TO EU REPORT ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
- Title: USA: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER REACT TO EU REPORT ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
- Date: 19th November 2003
- Summary: (W7) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 17, 2003) 1. MV U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER; MV REPORTERS 0.13 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOSCHKA FISCHER SAYING "It is very important that we are moving forward based on realism and realism must be based on transparency and these are the basic principles of the agreement the three of us, the foreign Minster from the United Kingdom, France and myself reached with the Iranian side in Tehran. I think we are moving in the right direction but we must go now into the details, it means full compliance and this must be measured by the IAEO, so if we are moving in the right direction we think it's a good message but it must be based once again on realism." 3. REPORTERS; REPORTER ASKING ABOUT REPORT ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) POWELL SAYING "I wouldn't have gone quite as far. The Iranians have provided us a great deal of information. It confirms what the United States has been saying for some time, which we believe, that the Iranian nuclear development program was for more than just the production of power, that it had an intent to producing a nuclear weapon. And I think that the information that has come forward establishes that for a long time we were the only ones kind of pressing the case. I think my three colleagues, the EU three played a very very helpful role in going to Tehran on a couple of occasions, putting the facts before the Iranians and coming back with a very positive and productive result. But I don't think this matter is finished I think we have to remain vigilant as the Minster said we have to be realistic, but realism means making sure that the iranians tell us every single thing there is to know about what they have been doing with respect to nuclear developments of all kinds so the international community can make an informed comprehensive and full judgement as to what they have been doing and whether they have stopped doing it. The things we have been suggesting for some time, they were doing and are inconsistent with their obligations and should cause all of us to have serious concerns about judging too quickly on whether or not we have received the full and complete story from the Iranians" 5. MV POWELL AND FISCHER WALKING AWAY AND SHAKING HANDS 2.01 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 4th December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVABMCNQ6R5XB22WMP5OELDNF18Z
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and German
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer react to EU report on
Iran's nuclear programme.
The United States on Monday (November 17) disputed
a top European Union official's conclusion that Iran has
been honest about its nuclear program, which Washington
says is designed to make nuclear weapons.
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said
on Monday that Iran had been honest and should not be
reported to the U.N. Security Council this week for
potential sanctions.
"I wouldn't have gone quite as far," U.S. Secretary of
State Colin Powell said of Solana's remark in Brussels,
Belgium.
"The Iranians have provided us a great deal of
information. It confirms what the United States has been
saying for some time that the Iranian nuclear
development program was for more than just the production
of power, that it had an intent to producing a nuclear
weapon," Powell added after a meeting with German Foreign
Minister Joschka Fischer.
The State Department says a report on Iran by the U.N.
nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency,
was "impossible to believe."
The IAEA board of governors will discuss the report
later this week.
Fischer said, "We will discuss it now in a constructive
way inside the board of governors We are quite positive
about the whole atmosphere, but we must be realists."
Powell added: "I don't think this matter is finished. I
think we have to remain vigilant."
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