Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-15-Speech-3-025"
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"en.20060215.3.3-025"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, in this Council statement on the confrontation between Iran and the international community, I should like to comment on the following issues: firstly, the nuclear issue, secondly, relations between the EU and Iran and, thirdly, the recent violence in Tehran.
The EU’s relations with Iran will depend on progress made on all of the issues of concern: the nuclear issue and other concerns in connection with weapons of mass destruction, human rights, the fight against terrorism and the country’s position on the Middle East. The options for action by the EU will be kept under close review and weighed up in the light of Iran’s declarations and actions.
On the subject of the violence: as has been clearly underlined in the debate in this House, the attacks on bodies of the European Union are in no way justifiable, and are completely unacceptable. The EU Presidency has condemned these attacks and called on Iran to meet its obligations with regard to the protection laid down in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. In accordance with these obligations, the Presidency has also reminded Iran that responsibility under international law for ensuring compliance with these obligations lies with the state.
The resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue is a key concern for the international community, which has serious doubts about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. Over recent years, the EU has spared no effort to find a solution by negotiation and to urge Iran to adopt confidence-building measures with regard to its nuclear programme. Iran has been moving in the wrong direction recently by taking unilateral action, most recently resuming uranium-enrichment activities at Natanz and suspending application of the IAEA Additional Protocol.
The adoption by the IAEA Board of Governors of its resolution of 4 February bringing the matter to the attention of the Security Council of the United Nations gave a clear signal to Iran. The large majority by which the resolution was adopted demonstrates that Europe’s deep concern about Iran’s nuclear programme is shared by the international community as a whole.
The EU is by no means calling into question Iran’s right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The cause of this conflict lies in Iran’s failure to take sufficient action to date to build the necessary confidence in the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. On the contrary, over the last 18 years, Iran has failed to declare a substantial part of its very extensive nuclear programme to the IAEA, and is still refusing to provide it with important information concerning, in particular, the extent of development of its uranium-enrichment technology and the field of ‘weaponisation’ – that is, the militarisation of its nuclear programme.
The EU’s objective is still to achieve a solution to the matter by negotiation. Yet this requires that Iran show sufficient willingness to be cooperative and open, in particular towards the IAEA, and to take urgently needed confidence-building measures such as suspending sensitive nuclear activities. The Russian proposal to build a Russian-Iranian uranium-enrichment facility on Russian soil as an alternative to enrichment in Iran is an important contribution and has the full support of the EU.
Let me reiterate quite clearly that the EU remains committed to a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, in which the IAEA must play a key role. Involving the Security Council is not tantamount to diminishing the role of the IAEA, but rather is intended to strengthen the IAEA’s authority and make it possible to implement the measures required by the resolutions of its Board of Governors.
On the subject of relations between the EU and Iran, the EU still regards the human-rights situation in Iran with great concern. The situation is worsening, and the Iranian authorities are not taking any tangible action to reform legislation or official practices. Despite repeated requests by the EU, Iran has failed to make any further commitment to resuming the stalled human-rights dialogue. The EU will continue to voice its human-rights concerns, both directly to the Iranian Government and in public statements and international forums.
The statements made by the Iranian President on Israel have been unambiguously and strongly condemned by the EU and the international community as a whole. Iran’s position on the Middle East gives grounds for grave concern. It still supports Palestinian groups that the EU classifies as terrorist organisations. We note with concern that the Iranian President recently met some of the leaders of such groups in Syria, and we call on Iran to end such contacts. In addition, we call for it to join the international consensus on the necessity of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
The repeated attempts by the Iranian President to deny the crimes of the Holocaust, and his calls for the state of Israel to be ‘wiped off the map’, are to be firmly rejected. Statements such as this are completely unacceptable and, furthermore, are totally at odds with the efforts of the numerous political and religious leaders who are specifically working on all sides to promote a dialogue between the cultures that is characterised by mutual respect, particularly following the events of recent days."@en1
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