June 05, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1429

VIENNA, June 4: European countries urged Iran on Wednesday to furnish all outstanding information on its disputed nuclear programme to the UN atomic watchdog to end a long-running impasse.

“We call on Iran to supply all the necessary information, as well as the access to people, documents and sites requested by the IAEA,” or International Atomic Energy Agency, French ambassador Francois-Xavier Deniau told the agency’s 35-member board at its meeting here.

He was speaking on behalf of the so-called EU-3 comprising Britain, France and Germany.

“That is the only way for the agency to determine the true nature of the Iranian nuclear programme,” he said in a speech.

The Slovenian representative to the IAEA, Bojan Bertoncelj, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, echoed the French envoy.

The EU “remains seriously concerned that despite more than five years of intense efforts by the IAEA, the agency is still not in a position to determine the full nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” Bertoncelj said in a speech.

“In that respect, the EU notes the agency’s concern regarding the possible military dimensions or Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We share the view of the secretariat that the alleged studies on the green salt project, high explosive testing and the missile re-entry vehicle remain a matter of grave concern,” he said.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had accused Iran in his latest report of withholding key information that could shed light on the alleged studies, including research, engineering work and testing with a possibly military dimension.

The allegations have been backed up by intelligence from 10 different countries. But Iran has simply dismissed the intelligence as “fake” and “fabricated”.

“A simple rejection by Iran of this information as not authentic, forged or fabricated is neither credible nor acceptable, given the quality and quantity of the documents,” Bertoncelj said.

“In this regard, the EU notes with concern that the agency is of the view that Iran may have additional information, in particular on high explosives testing and missile related activities, which could shed more light on these important questions and which Iran should share with the agency.” —AFP