Vienna, Nov 26, IRNA -- A senior diplomat said in Vienna on Thursday that Iran-EU differences of opinion over parts the union's amended draft resolution about Iran's nuclear energy program still remain unresolved.

The diplomat, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said the amendments to EU's draft resolution accommodate four of Iran's main objections to the previous version. The diplomat added that an objection had been almost resolved, but one still remains disputed.

The diplomat said Iran and the EU have arrived at no agreement on Clause 3 of the draft resolution -- Clause 2 in the new version -- which calls for reporting Iran's breaches of pledges to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

The verified clause urges the director general of the International Energy Agency (IAEA) to "report without delay to the [IAEA] board [of governors] should the agency find that the suspension is not fully sustained, or should the agency be prevented from verifying all elements of the suspension, for as long as the suspension is in force".

The diplomat further said another Iran-EU dispute over the amended resolution concerns the ambiguity over issue of third-party countries in contamination cases.

The diplomat recalled arguments that third-party countries may not cooperate in those cases and that the issue might remain unresolved for years.

Clause 8 of the previous draft resolution, which is Clause 6 in the revised version, has been completely amended to meet Iran's requests.

The amended clause requests Iran to allow access deemed necessary by the agency to all locations in line with the Additional Protocol.

The diplomat further stressed that a major part of the problems with Clause 7 of the previous draft resolution has been removed.

Clause 7 -- which is Clause 5 in the amended version of the resolution -- emphasized the director general's "providing credible assurances," adding, however, that this left it open to the director general not to provide assurances for an unknown period of time.

The diplomat said Clause 5 of has been changed on that it welcomes investigations into all issues, "in particular the origin of contamination and the extent of Iran's centrifuge program, as well as the full implementation of Iran's Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, with a view to drawing conclusion regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran".

The problems with Clause 2 -- now Clause 1 -- have been almost completely removed. Iran was against this clause in that it called for sustaining uranium enrichment activities.

The diplomat said the phrase "sustain this suspension" of the clause has been amended by 70 percent, and that the term "sustained" has been completely removed from the clause.

The EU has amended Clause 1 of the resolution by adding that "the board considers the full and sustained implementation of this confidence building measure essential to addressing outstanding issues".

The diplomat elsewhere in his remarks stressed that the revised edition of EU's draft resolution refers to the recent Paris Agreement with Iran, and stresses that Iran's nuclear case should be removed from the agenda of the IAEA Board of Governors.

The draft resolution has also described Iran's decision to suspend uranium enrichment activities as merely a voluntarily measure meant for building confidence.

... Payvand News - 11/26/04 ... --