AUSTRIA: New IAEA chief, Iranian and U.S. delegates address Iran's nuclear programme
Record ID:
313586
AUSTRIA: New IAEA chief, Iranian and U.S. delegates address Iran's nuclear programme
- Title: AUSTRIA: New IAEA chief, Iranian and U.S. delegates address Iran's nuclear programme
- Date: 15th September 2009
- Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (SEPTEMBER 14, 2009) (REUTERS) JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO IAEA ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAEA CHIEF DESIGNATE, YUKIYA AMANO, SAYING: "I come from a country, like you said, that has the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This organisation deals mainly with nuclear non-proliferation, but disarmament and non-proliferation have one thing in common - that is strong commitment against nuclear weapons. I will not work for Japan. I will work for the interest of the international community and for the interest of all the member of the IAEA. Nevertheless, I feel it is important personally that having a stance against nuclear weapons is essential as exercising my responsibility as the chief administrative officer of the IAEA to address non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear nations." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAEA CHIEF DESIGNATE, YUKIYA AMANO, SAYING: "Having conducted safeguard activities for more than 60 years, the IAEA has not yet come to a conclusion whether the activities of Iran has been and is exclusive for peaceful purpose or not." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IAEA CHIEF DESIGNATE, YUKIYA AMANO, SAYING: "I believe the Agency is doing its utmost, more cooperation is needed and these endeavours will continue. And after the 1st of December I officially will follow and do my utmost to implement the IAEA safeguard agreements with Iran and IAEA as well as the Security Council resolution." AMANO SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS IRANIAN NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY CHIEF, ALI SALEHI, ADDRESSING IAEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY CHIEF, ALI SALEHI, SAYING: "We are further being continuously threatened with attacks on our nuclear facilities. This hovering of threats achieves nothing but adding to my great nation's determination and solidarity. The nation that has firmly withstood all the inflicted agonies of an imposed war and unjust sanctions has yet emerged as an advanced nation in its region. We are among the few nations that has successfully launched a satellite. We are also among pioneers in animal cloning of sheep, cow and goat. We have one of the highest numbers of students per 100,000 of our population. And we are unbeatable on the number of published books among the Muslim nations. Such a vigilant nation while taking every threat seriously is in the meantime confident in its capacity to defend itself. Our preparedness extends from a generalised civil defence to a comprehensive military defence." DELEGATES AT CONFERENCE HALL U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY STEVEN CHU WALKING IN IAEA CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CONFERENCE HALL STEVEN CHU SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES ENERGY SECRETARY STEVEN CHU, SAYING: "This is an important first step in these discussions and let's say it's an important first step and one hopes for the best." VARIOUS OF STEVEN CHU SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 30th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Austria
- Country: Austria
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVADVR7N5BP02Z2RSU8HUS9U5OMG
- Story Text: Japan's experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and his personal strong stance against nuclear weapons will be essential in exercising his responsibility in his new role as U.N.'s nuclear watchdog's chief, incoming IAEA Director General Yukia Amano said in his debut news conference after being sworn in at IAEA's meeting in Vienna on Monday (September 14).
"I will not work for Japan. I will work for the interest of the international community and for the interest of all the member of the IAEA. Nevertheless, I feel it is important personally that having a stance against nuclear weapons is essential as exercising my responsibility as the chief administrative officer of the IAEA to address non-proliferation and the peaceful use of of nuclear nations," Amano told journalists.
The 62-year old Japanese diplomat succeeds Mohamed ElBaradei on December 1 as IAEA chief.
Amano vowed not to shrink from pursuing cases of alleged nuclear proliferation like Iran.
"Having conducted safeguard activities for more than 60 years, the IAEA has not yet come to a conclusion whether the activities of Iran has been and is exclusive for peaceful purpose or not," he said
"I believe the Agency is doing its utmost, more cooperation is needed and these endeavours will continue. And after the 1st of December I officially will follow and do my utmost to implement the IAEA safeguard agreements with Iran and IAEA as well as the Security Council resolution," Amano said.
Earlier on Monday state television in Iran, which is shrugging off the threat of harsher sanctions, said Tehran and six world powers trying to resolve the standoff over its disputed nuclear programme would launch talks in early October.
Iran last week handed over a package of proposals in which it said it was ready to discuss global nuclear disarmament and other international issues, but not its own nuclear activity, despite U.S. insistence the issue will be raised.
In his address to the 150-member nations of the IAEA, the head of the Iranian Nuclear Energy Agency said threats of harsher sanctions against Iran were only adding to the country's "determination and solidarity" and that Iran was confident in its capacity to defend itself.
"We are further being continuously threatened with attacks on our nuclear facilities. This hovering of threats achieves nothing but adding to my great nation's determination and solidarity. The nation that has firmly withstood all the inflicted agonies of an imposed war and unjust sanctions has yet emerged as an advanced nation in its region," Ali Salehi told delegates.
"Our preparedness extends from a generalised civil defence to a comprehensive military defence," he said.
U.S. Energy Secretary described the Oct. 1 talks between Iran and world powers as an "important first step".
"This is an important first step in these discussions and let's say it's an important first step and one hopes for the best," Steven Chu told reporters in Vienna.
Iran says it is enriching uranium only to fuel nuclear power plants. The West suspects Iran's latent purpose with the dual-use nuclear technology is to make atom bombs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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