(17 Nov 2003)
1. Exterior EU Council in Brussels
2. Javier Solana talks to journalists
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Javier Solana, Secretary General of the European Union Council, High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy:
"Let me first say that we have a wish that the Iranians do not develop nuclear weapons. That is the first objective that we have. We have achieved some agreement with them. We hope they will comply with those agreements. As you know the Vienna agency is going to make a report in the coming days. There will be a meeting of the board of governors on 20th of this month and I hope there will be a possibility there to check Al Baradei report and to see how we can continue working in that line. And the line you know very well. It is a line which is very constructive, it is preventive engagement ,from our side and I hope we will succeed. And the success will be if they stop the programmes of weapons of mass destruction and if they also stop the full cycle. And that is our objective, even with the Americans. The Americans, we are in touch with them, of course, and I hope very much that there will be an agreement on the 20th of this month in the board of governors to agree among all the members with the same points vis--vis the message towards Iran."
4. Cutaway of press
5. Arrival Hasan Rowhani
6. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Hasan Rowhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran:
"We discussed the question of Iraq and the potential cooperation in Iraq. On the question of Iran's peaceful nuclear program we also discussed the issue and underlined that Iran is committed to the agreement reached in Tehran. And the European side stressed its own commitment in that respect."
7. Rowhani leaving
STORYLINE:
The 15 European Union foreign ministers gathered in Brussels on Monday for their regular monthly meeting, which was dominated by talks on the Middle East conflict, Iran's nuclear program and security in Iraq.
Also present was the head of Iran's powerful Supreme National Security Council, Hasan Rowhani.
EU ministers were looking to push Tehran to make good on pledges of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and make sure its nuclear energy program cannot be used to develop nuclear weapons.
EU foreign policy representative Javier Solana said before the meeting that he thought Tehran had been honest. "Let's see if they continue all the way to the end."
After meeting with EU ministers, Rowhani reiterated Iran's commitment to the agreement reached in Tehran on Iran's "peaceful nuclear program" and said "the European side also stressed its own commitment."
The US administration meanwhile wants Iran declared in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty at an UN nuclear agency board
meeting on Thursday.
That move that would lead to UN Security Council involvement and possible sanctions.
Solana said he hoped it would not go that far.
Within recent weeks, Iran has swung from denying wrongdoing to acknowledging "mistakes" in not reporting honestly to the agency.
While maintaining it only wants to generate nuclear power, it has delivered what it says is complete information about past suspect activities.
Last week, it also fulfilled promises made during a visit to Tehran last month by the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany by suspending uranium enrichment and formally agreeing to throw open its nuclear programs to thorough agency inspections, both key UN demands.
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