UN gets Iran incentive deal

UNITED NATIONS - Major powers turned over to the 15-nation UN Security Council today details of energy and economic incentives they offered to Iran if it suspends its nuclear ambitions and stops uranium enrichment.

The three-page incentive package, which had not previously been published in full, includes a pledge to "actively support" the building of new light water power reactors in Iran.

Iran has not responded to the offer, made in June. In response, the key negotiators -- Germany, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- referred the issue back to the council in a meeting in Paris yesterday.

The 15-member body will attempt to adopt a resolution next week that would make the suspension mandatory. If Iran still does not comply, the six nations said they would consider sanctions against Tehran.

"I think the first step ... is we will move to make mandatory the requirement that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment activities with some reasonably short time fuse on that," US Ambassador John Bolton said.

"And that then would be followed by looking at targeted sanctions," Bolton said. "We hope to move as quickly as possible, possibly within the next few days -- but realistically early next week.

However, China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, hesitated in committing Beijing to a mandatory resolution, despite agreements in Paris. He said any text had to be considered carefully.

Vigilance

The United States, Britain and France in early May introduced a resolution that will be the basis of a new draft. The May document demands Iran suspend uranium enrichment that the West suspects is part of a secret nuclear weapons programme.

The draft calls on all nations to "exercise vigilance" in preventing the transfer of materials and technology "that could contribute to Iran's enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and missile programs."

-- A commitment to "actively support" the building of new light water reactors in Iran through international joint projects.

-- Negotiate and implement a nuclear cooperation agreement with Euratom, the European Atomic Energy Community.

-- Establish on commercial terms stock to hold a reserve of up to five years supply of nuclear fuel for Iran, under supervision of the Vienna based International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.

-- Improve Iran's access to the international economy, markets and capital, through support in the World Trade Organisation and other groupings.

-- A possible removal of restrictions on selling US and European built civilian aircraft to Iran.

-- A pledge to support a modernisation of Iran's telecommunications and internet.

Iran ended a freeze on uranium enrichment in January and insists its only aim is to produce fuel to generate power. The issue was referred to the UN Security Council in March by nations on the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But Russia and China refused to adopt a resolution after which the five Security Council powers and Germany agreed to a package of incentives offered to Iran in early June by Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy coordinator.

- REUTERS