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Russia: new UN draft on Iran based on Russian proposals
12/12/2006 10:34

A new draft UN Security Council resolution on Iran is based on Russia's proposals and the Bushehr nuclear power plant, being built with Russian help in Iran, is unrelated to the resolution, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday.

The new text differs very much from the first version "proposed by our European partners," Lavrov was quoted by the Itar-Tass newsagency as saying. "The conceptual framework of the draft resolution was changed on the basis of the proposals put forward by Russia," he said.

"It does not provide for any indiscriminate sanctions, but includes a concrete list of measures to be taken for preventing the deliveries of the technologies connected with IAEA concerns," Lavrov said.

The revised text was drafted by Britain, France and Germany and circulated to Security Council members on Friday. The resolution, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua, imposes sanctions on Iran for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

It bars Iran from importing or exporting key materials and technology related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but leaves a slot for dual-use items. The text also imposes financial and travel restrictions on persons and agencies involved.

Lavrov said the Bushehr plant, Iran's first nuclear power plant,had nothing to do with the draft UN resolution.

"The Bushehr plant is being built in complete accordance with existing norms of the IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency), and for this reason there could be no talk of any restrictions on this project," he said.

The United States is seeking to impose sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council on the grounds that Tehran is developing a nuclear-weapons program under the garb of a civilian-use program. Iran, however, says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.



Xinhua News