Meeting Over Iran Nuclear Program Canceled

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - A meeting between a senior Iranian envoy and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency was abruptly canceled Monday and diplomats blamed Iran's refusal to make good on a promise to provide answers about past atomic activities.

The meeting, between Javeed Vaidi of Iran and IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei, had been billed as a test of Iran's readiness to end years of stonewalling and provide answers on aspects of its nuclear program that could be used to develop weapons.

But the talks were canceled on short notice because of perceptions that Mr. Vaidi would bring "nothing substantial" to that meeting and another with deputy IAEA director general Olli Heinonen, a diplomat told The Associated Press.

Along with Iran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment and restrictions on IAEA inspectors, the country's stonewalling was also the focus of Mr. ElBaradei, in opening comments to a meeting of the agency's 35-nation board of governors.

The agency is unable "to make any progress in its efforts to resolve outstanding issues relevant to the nature and scope of Iran's nuclear program," Mr. ElBaradei told delegates, describing the development as a "key proliferation concern."

Mr. Vaidi did talk with EU negotiator Robert Cooper on a recent Iranian pledge to clear up past nuclear questions in talks at Austria's foreign ministry. Both men warned against expecting "miracles," saying the purpose of their talks were to set up a future meeting between their superiors - Ali Larijani of Iran and the EU's Javier Solana.

Still, the cancellation of subsequent meetings with Messrs. ElBaradei and Heinonen dashed hopes that the Iran was prepared for a breakthrough compromise on one of the issues that led to its referral last year to the U.N. Security Council.

It was also likely to give support to Iran critics at the board meeting, with America and its allies using that gathering as a platform to pressure the country on enrichment and other issues.

Gregory L. Schulte, the chief American delegate to the gathering, set the tone for countries pushing Iran.

"Iran's leaders (are) continuing to develop capabilities to enrich uranium and produce plutonium" in violation of the Security Council, Mr. Schulte told reporters. "These capabilities are not necessary to benefit peaceful nuclear technology but are necessary to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons."

With disagreements within the Security Council over what kind of new sanctions should be imposed and how quickly, diplomats said America was looking to play up new evidence of Iranian nuclear defiance at the IAEA board meeting. The diplomats, who were all involved in international attempts to persuade Iran to give up enrichment, demanded anonymity because their information was confidential.

___

On the Net:

The International Atomic Energy Agency: http://www.iaea.org