Russia, China against revelation of intelligence on Iran's nuclear arms experiments

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia and China are urging the chief UN nuclear inspector to scrap or delay U.S.-backed plans to reveal intelligence on Iran's alleged nuclear arms experiments, in a bluntly worded confidential document obtained by The Associated Press.

The diplomatic note to International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano points to an East-West rift among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council over how to deal with concerns about Iran's nuclear activities.

The United States, Britain and France want Amano to share what his agency knows or suspects about Iran's alleged weapons experiments with the IAEA's 35-nation board at its meeting next month. But Russia's and China's opposition likely will delay Western hopes of having the board report Tehran to the Security Council for the second time for its nuclear defiance, a referral that could open Iran to more sanctions.

In the note, Moscow and Beijing warn Amano against "groundless haste" and urge him to "act cautiously," adding that "such kind of report will only drive the Iranians into a corner making them less cooperative."

An international official familiar with the matter said Amano plans to go ahead nonetheless, arguing that it is his duty to inform the decision-making board of evidence pointing to such experiments.

Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany are formally unified in trying to persuade Iran to meet concerns over its nuclear program. But a diplomat briefed on the matter said he was told that the Russians and Chinese went to Amano without consulting the other nations.

The diplomat suggested that the fractures within the group may hinder any new attempt to engage Iran in talks over its nuclear program. He, like others who consented to talk about privileged issues, asked for anonymity.

A cell phone message left with Iran's chief IAEA representative was not immediately returned. Asked about the Chinese-Russian note, chief U.S. delegate Glyn Davies said Washington supports "IAEA's efforts to address questions about the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program."

"The burden remains on Iran to answer the IAEA's questions, which it has thus far refused to do," he said in an e-mail.