Annex : Written Ministerial Statement: Iran
IRAN: UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
1737
THE MINISTER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST (DR. KIM HOWELLS):
"On 23 December 2006, the United Nations Security
Council adopted Resolution 1737, on Iran's nuclear programme.
The Resolution was adopted by consensus, once again underlining
that the international community is united and determined to see
that Iran does not acquire the means to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran has not met its legal obligation in Security
Council Resolution 1696, adopted on 31 July, to suspend all uranium
enrichment related and reprocessing activities, nor has it taken
the other steps required by the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) Board of Governors. Recent reports by the IAEA Director-General,
Dr Mohammed El-Baradei, show that Iran's co-operation with the
Agency remains inadequate, and that far from suspending enrichment
related activities, Iran has continued to install and operate
new centrifuges at its enrichment plant at Natanz.
Moreover, despite intensive efforts by EU High Representative
Javier Solana, Iran has not engaged seriously with the generous
and far reaching proposals made by the 'E3+3' (France, Germany,
UK + China, Russia, US) in June, which could provide the basis
for a long-term agreement. These proposals would give Iran everything
it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power programme, and
other political and economic benefits, while meeting international
concerns.
We have therefore had no choice but to pursue a further
Security Council Resolution.
Resolution 1737 reaffirms that Iran is required to
suspend all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities
and extends this requirement to include all heavy water related
projects. The Resolution also requires Iran to provide the IAEA
any access and co-operation the Agency requests in order to verify
the suspension and resolve outstanding issues.
The Resolution imposes sanctions under Article 41
of Chapter VII of the UN Charter. These are proportionate and
targeted at Iran's sensitive nuclear and missile activities. All
states have a legal obligation to comply. The measures include:
a prohibition on supplying certain nuclear and missile
related items to Iran and on providing related assistance;
a prohibition on the export from Iran of such items
and their procurement from Iran;
monitoring of the travel of certain individuals engaged
in or providing support for Iran's proliferation sensitive activities;
limits on IAEA technical co-operation with Iran;
freezing of the assets of persons and entities designated
in the Resolution's Annex as well as those subsequently identified
by the Security Council or the Sanctions Committee; and
a call on States to prevent specialised teaching
or training of Iranian nationals, which would contribute to Iran's
proliferation sensitive nuclear activities.
The implementation of measures will be suspended
if as for as long as Iran suspends uranium enrichment related
and reprocessing activities, as verified by the IAEA.
The Resolution asks the IAEA Director-General to
report on Iranian compliance and affirms that the Security Council
will adopt further appropriate measures under Article 41 of the
UN Charter if the report shows that Iran has not complied.
A copy of the Resolution is available on the UN website
at: http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_resolutions06.htm
We remain committed to a negotiated solution. The
E3+3's proposals remain on the table. I urge Iran to take the
positive path on offer by meeting in full the requirements of
the Security Council and the IAEA Board and beginning negotiations
with the E3+3 on the basis of those proposals. As the adoption
of Resolution 1737 demonstrates, that is the clear and united
wish of the whole international community".
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