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Iran reaffirms that, in accordance with Article II of the NPT, it does not and will
not seek to acquire nuclear weapons. It commits itself to full cooperation and
transparency with the IAEA. Iran will continue implementing voluntarily the Additional
Protocol pending ratification.
To build further confidence, Iran has decided, on a voluntary basis, to continue
and extend its suspension to include all enrichment related and reprocessing activities,
and specifically: the manufacture and import of gas centrifuges and their components;
the assembly, installation, testing or operation of gas centrifuges; work to undertake any
plutonium separation, or to construct or operate any plutonium separation installation;
and all tests or production at any uranium conversion installation. The IAEA will be
notified of this suspension and invited to verify and monitor it. The suspension will be
implemented in time for the IAEA to confirm before the November Board that it has
been put into effect. The suspension will be sustained while negotiations proceed on a
mutually acceptable agreement on long-term arrangements.
The E3/EU recognize that this suspension is a voluntary confidence building measure
and not a legal obligation.
Sustaining the suspension, while negotiations on a long-term agreement are
under way, will be essential for the continuation of the overall process. In the context
of this suspension, the E3/EU and Iran have agreed to begin negotiations, with a view
to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on long term arrangements. The agreement
will provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for
peaceful purposes. It will equally provide firm guarantees on nuclear, technological and
economic cooperation and firm commitments on security issues.
A steering committee will meet to launch these negotiations in the first half of
December 2004 and will set up working groups on political and security issues,
technology and cooperation, and nuclear issues. The steering committee shall meet again
within three months to receive progress reports from the working groups and to
move ahead with projects and/or measures that can be implemented in advance of an
overall agreement.
In the context of the present agreement and noting the progress that has been made in
resolving outstanding issues, the E3/EU will henceforth support the Director General
reporting to the IAEA Board as he considers appropriate in the framework of the
implementation of Iran's Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol.
The E3/EU will support the IAEA Director General inviting Iran to join the
Expert Group on Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.
Once suspension has been verified, the negotiations with the EU on a Trade
and Cooperation Agreement will resume. The E3/EU will actively support the opening
of Iranian accession negotiations at the WTO.
Irrespective of progress on the nuclear issue, the E3/EU and Iran confirm their
determination to combat terrorism, including the activities of Al Qa'ida and other
terrorist groups such as the MeK. They also confirm their continued support for the
political process in Iraq aimed at establishing a constitutionally elected Government.
MARGARET WARNER: Thanks for being with us. Let's start with today's news. How significant or how did you read what the Iranian foreign minister said today about the fact that Iran really is willing to continue talks with the Europeans?
NICHOLAS BURNS: Well, it's good to hear the statement by the Iranian foreign minister, but I must say that we're a little bit skeptical. Iran for 18 years withheld the truth about its nuclear weapons activities and enrichment programs from the IAEA.
The United States is fully supportive of the efforts of the European governments to try to negotiate an agreement with Iran but that negotiation is very specific.
Iran must cease and dismantle all of its nuclear fuel cycle activities and it must end forever its attempt to build a nuclear weapons program behind the guise of what it says is a peaceful nuclear energy program.
So while it is good the Iranians want to continue the negotiations, we would certainly like to see some degree of seriousness by Iran in those negotiations itself.
MARGARET WARNER: But as you know, I mean, Iran says that under the treaty, it has an inalienable right to continue pursuing this technology for civilian purposes.
MARGARET WARNER: But as you know, I mean, Iran says that under the treaty, it has an inalienable right to continue pursuing this technology for civilian purposes.
NICHOLAS BURNS: But the agreement that Iran entered into November of last year in Paris with Britain, France and Germany, is that it will not just suspend its nuclear fuel cycle activities. It will actually lead to cessation and dismantling.
That means that Iran would not be able to have the possibility to enrich or produce fissile material which, as you know, is the essential ingredient in the capacity to build a nuclear device.
Given Iran's track record over the last 18 years or so, and given the fact that it is a state that's been highly irresponsible in the way it's interacted with all of its neighbors, we simply cannot afford, the world cannot afford to see Iran acquire this type of capability.
Burns' statement is untrue. The Nov. 15 treaty, a public document, does not stipulate any agreement on Iran's part to dismantle any part of its peaceful nuclear development program. Moreover, Iran's cessation of enrichment activity was specified as voluntary in the treaty.
Burns' remark is designed to show that Iran is in violation of a treaty subsequent to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), thus perpetuating the Bush administration portrait of Iran as an outlaw nation and "treaty violator." What Burns failed to point out is that Iran also subscribed to the following unambiguous statement in the November treaty:
"Iran reaffirms that, in accordance with Article II of the NPT, it does not and will not seek to acquire nuclear weapons. It commits itself to full cooperation and transparency with the IAEA. Iran will continue implanting voluntarily the Additional Protocol [for enhanced inspections] pending ratification."
To build further confidence, Iran has decided, on a voluntary basis, to continue and extend its suspension to include all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, and specifically: the manufacture and import of gas centrifuges and their components; the assembly, installation, testing or operation of gas centrifuges; work to undertake any plutonium separation, or to construct or operate any plutonium separation installation; and all tests or production at any uranium conversion installation.
Volentary or not, Enforcible or not, that is what they agreed to do.
The Iranians Agreement
The suspension will be sustained while negotiations proceed on a mutually acceptable agreement on long-term arrangements.
The E3/EU recognize that this suspension is a voluntary confidence building measure and not a legal obligation.
Burns
But the agreement that Iran entered into November of last year in Paris with Britain, France and Germany, is that it will not just suspend its nuclear fuel cycle activities. It will actually lead to cessation and dismantling.
That means that Iran would not be able to have the possibility to enrich or produce fissile material which, as you know, is the essential ingredient in the capacity to build a nuclear device.
Hardcore said
I honesty don't understand why good honest Americans would not want anyone else to share in the freedoms they cherish. Again, that might be harsh, but damn, the Iranian government wants us dead...that doesn't bother you?
They agreed to do it voluntarily.... The agreement wasn't made that they could do it if they wanted or not, or that they could change their minds if they wanted to... There is a big difference. If you agree to do something voluntarily, you are saying you are going to do it on your own free will. If you don't do it, you are breaking the agreement.