USA/UN/IRAN: European Union foreign policy chief Javiar Solana meets with UN Secretary General to discuss Iran

Record ID: 687449

  • Title: USA/UN/IRAN: European Union foreign policy chief Javiar Solana meets with UN Secretary General to discuss Iran
  • Date: 17th January 2006
  • Summary: (FILE) UNITED NATIONS (REUTERS) REPORTER JOTTING NOTES IN NOTEPAD
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6KOMLAY7DYJ9BIH73QPH5GAPV
  • Story Text: European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday he was confident that China and Russia would back the EU in seeking a referral of Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council.
    "I am confident," he said when asked by a reporter whether he was confident of Chinese and Russian backing for the EU initiative.
    He spoke as permanent Security Council members Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States met in London along with Germany in an attempt to bridge differences over Iran and enable an emergency meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, where the issue now lies.
    Solana, who dropped by the United Nations for talks with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, predicted an extraordinary meeting of the board would take place "probably before the end of the month" or perhaps in early February.
    "Our position is the dossier should be referred to the Security Council. That is the position that we are trying to convey to all the other members of the board of governors to see if we can construct a solid and wide coalition of countries" aimed at discouraging Iran from pursuing its current path, he said.
    Annan said last week he thought it was too soon to refer the nuclear dispute to the Security Council. He said Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, had told him Tehran remained interested in "serious and constructive negotiations" with the European Union.
    But Solana said the Vienna-based IAEA would play an important role in the dispute even after a referral. "The fact that it comes to the Security Council will give more political support to whatever happens in Vienna," he said.
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