US and allies delay vote to report Iran to UN

By Daniel Dombey and Gareth Smyth 
February 3, 2006
The Financial Times
Original Source: http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ea120632-94dc-11da-9f39-0000779e2340.html

The US and its allies on Friday delayed a high-stakes vote on reporting Iran's nuclear programme to the United Nations Security Council in the hope of winning greater support from non-aligned countries.
Washington and the European Union have gained the backing of Russia and China for such a step and are confident of a majority of the 35-member board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog.
But western powers are continuing their push to win round non-aligned countries such as India, South Africa and Egypt in an attempt to defuse criticism that the world's big powers are ganging up on “upstart” states such as Iran.
The IAEA board had been scheduled to vote on the issue on Friday, but the meeting has now been reconvened for Saturday.
Iranian diplomats warn that if Tehran is referred to the Security Council it will spell an “end to diplomacy”, as well as to Iran's voluntary co-operation with the IAEA and hopes of a breakthrough brokered by Russia.
They insist the nuclear programme is purely peaceful.
Although the US and the EU concede that they will see some three to four votes against their resolution - by countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Syria and possibly Belarus - they are hoping to improve on the 22 votes garnered in September by a softer resolution that found Iran in “non-compliance” with its obligations.
“We are convinced that we have a solid majority in support of a resolution that reports Iran to the Security Council and that majority is growing,” said Greg Schulte, US ambassador to the IAEA.
He said it was necessary to report Iran to the UN Security Council because of “Iran's non-compliance and the international community's loss of confidence” in the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
On Friday night, the western powers were in discussions with Egypt and other Arab countries, which have called for the resolution to include a commitment to a nuclear-free Middle East.
“It's worth putting in that bit of extra time to getting as many people on board as we can,” said a western diplomat.
However, the US and the EU have resisted all attempts by the non-aligned group to dilute the commitment to report the Iran file to the Security Council in New York. Under the deal reached with Russia and China, the issue will be put on the Security Council agenda, but it will not be the subject of any action until at least next month.
On Friday Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran's former president, warned that the consequences of such a vote might be “the reverse” of what Europe and the US sought.
Speaking of what he said would be “a black page in history”, he said: “I know this nation, its history and the region – and I advise them not to make such a mistake.”