(Washington Post) John Ward Anderson - The 35-member board of the UN atomic agency began debate Thursday on a resolution to report Iran to the UN Security Council for nuclear treaty violations, with signs that a solid majority would back the measure on Friday. During closed-door meetings, only Syria and Cuba said they would vote against reporting Iran, while Venezuela indicated it also might oppose the measure. Diplomats said sentiment in favor of reporting Iran had gained broader backing because of an agreement reached Monday between the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany, who all supported a resolution that calls for reporting Iran to the council but deferring any action until at least March 6, when the head of the IAEA is to deliver a status report on Iran's nuclear program. That grace period will offer Iran "a window of opportunity" during which it can change tactics and stop uranium enrichment activities, said IAEA Director General Mohammed ElBaradei.
2006-02-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive