IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei today spoke to the international press corps covering the Agency´s special Board meeting on Iran´s nuclear programme. The Board is considering a resolution on the implementation of safeguards in Iran. Following are excerpts from his remarks:
- "We are reaching a critical phase but it is not a crisis situation. It is about confidence building and it is not about an imminent threat... Whether the Board´s outcome will be to report to the Security Council or not, everybody agrees that the only way to move forward is through diplomacy, through negotiation and there is still a window of opportunity for all concerned parties to find a way forward."
- "We will see how the Board will decide on the kind of resolution they will adopt... All who have spoken on the issue, even those who are supporting Security Council reporting, are making it very clear that the Security Council is not asked, at this stage to take any action, definitely not before I submit my report in March. All of them are saying that this is simply a continuation of diplomacy."
- "The draft resolution which is now before the Board (sponsored by Britain, France, Germany) says that we should report on that issue. But the sponsors made it clear that the Security Council is not expected to take any action at least before March... very much a window of opportunity. I hope during that month that Iran will continue to cooperate with the Agency, to clarify remaining outstanding issues."
For more information, see Story Resources and the special section on the IAEA´s safeguards in Iran.