IAEA suspends some technical aid to Iran |
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Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:58
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VIENNA (AFX) - The International Atomic Energy Agency has halted some of its technical aid to Iran following the United Nations' sanctions against Tehran's nuclear programme, the chairman of the agency's board of governors said.'The (IAEA) secretariat has put on hold, suspended, some projects which are prima facie under the sanctions,' imposed in December by the UN Security Council, board chairman and Slovenian ambassador Ernest Petric said.Petric, who heads the UN watchdog's 35-member board of governors this year, added that IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei would submit a report on technical cooperation with Iran 'at the beginning of February.'ElBaradei sent a letter on December 27 to Petric to say his secretariat 'will evaluate all IAEA technical cooperation projects for Iran in light of resolution 1737 and will prepare a report including a list of the projects which could, in the Secretariat's judgement, continue to be implemented,' according to the copy of the letter.The number of projects to be suspended was not stated but they involve cooperation measures, including regional cooperation, that could have military implications, diplomatic sources said.The Security Council, which fears that Tehran could use its civilian nuclear programme to build an atomic bomb, directed all states 'to prevent the supply, sale or transfer... of all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs' in its December 23 resolution imposing sanctions on Iran.The board of governors is next due to meet on March 5, where they will discuss technical cooperation among other issues, Petric said.newsdesk@afxnews.comafp/cmrCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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Iran says still prepared to reduce cooperation with UN's IAEA 