UN chief to meet ElBaradei on nuclear crisis

[maddezmom]

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon will hold talks Thursday on Iran's disputed nuclear program with the head of the UN atomic watchdog, who is expected to issue a damning report that could pave the way for tougher sanctions against Tehran.

The meeting comes before Mohammed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, releases his report that is expected to formally confirm Iran is pressing ahead with sensitive enrichment work in defiance of the UN Security Council.

Iran ignored a UN deadline Wednesday to halt nuclear reprocessing efforts, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defending the program as vital to his country's progress.

The deadline was set by the UN Security Council on December 23 when it imposed sanctions and gave the IAEA 60 days to declare whether Iran has imposed a "full and sustained suspension" of uranium enrichment.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070222/ts_afp/irannuclearpoliticsun_070222061825

[Eugene]

1. Reuters: Rice says to use Security Council to pressure Iran

Rice says to use Security Council to pressure Iran

Reuters
Thursday, February 22, 2007; 5:11 AM

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said
on Thursday world powers planned to use all available channels and
the UN Security Council to get Iran to halt its sensitive nuclear
work and start negotiations.

"We reconfirmed that we will use our available channels and the
Security Council to try and achieve that goal," Rice said after a
breakfast meeting in Berlin with the foreign ministers of Germany,
Russia and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

-snip-

Rice said she was awaiting the report from IAEA director Mohamed
ElBaradei.

Once she had received the report, world powers would discuss
"the best path ahead," she said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022200237.html

[bemildred]

2. Boy, I'll bet Dolton is really sorry he can't help with this effort.

It really sounds just like him.