UN Council powers agree on Iran

The five UN Security Council permanent members agreed yesterday on a statement that would call on Iran to suspend parts of its nuclear programme that could be used to build weapons, Britain announced.

The new text, which makes concessions to Russia and China, is being referred to the full council for formal approval only hours before foreign ministers of the five powers and Germany meet in Berlin today to map out strategy on Iran.

The five veto-holding nations - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - have been negotiating for three weeks to complete the draft statement on how to rein in Iran's suspect programmes.

"Our colleagues in the P-5 (permanent five) have reached an agreement on a text," Britain's UN ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry, announced to reporters.

Britain and France, backed by the United States, distributed a revised text late on Tuesday to all 15 Security Council members that made concessions to Russia and China. But it still called on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment efforts, which the West believes are a cover for bomb making.

Iran restarted its nuclear enrichment programme earlier this year but insists its aim is to develop nuclear energy rather than weapons.

Jones Parry and French ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, who drafted the text, backed by the United States, said one of Russia's key objections had been removed from the statement.

This was a provision, saying the council was responsible for international peace and security. Russia, in particular, fears such a statement may later be used as a basis for tougher action against Iran, including sanctions.

Negotiations have stretched over three weeks on the statement, which is non-binding and threatens no punitive measures. But Russia, backed by China, is determined to prevent the possibility of future sanctions or other punitive measures against Iran and wants the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to control the issue.

The IAEA referred the Iranian issue to the council on March 8 after Tehran resumed nuclear fuel work. This prompted European negotiators - Germany, France and Britain - to break off 2-1/2 years of talks.

The statement calls on IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to report back on Iran's compliance within 30 days instead of the 14 days in the original text.