Brussels, 22/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - Monday's General Affairs Council congratulated Iran for its repeated commitment to cooperate with the international community for the examination of its nuclear activity, but warned the Iranian authorities that some information was still lacking. The Council also welcomed the resolution adopted by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency on the issue of Iran's nuclear programme and called on Iran to "comply fully with its provisions" expecting Iran to "cooperate with the Agency fully and to ensure that all future inspections can take place without delay".
On a positive note, the Council "welcomed Iran's signature of the Additional Protocol" of the IAEA and urged its implementation and early ratification. The Council also welcomes the "decision by Iran of 24 February 2004 to extend the scope of its suspension of enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, and its confirmation that the suspension applies to all facilities in Iran". The Council calls on Iran to proceed immediately, "comprehensively and verifiably", toward suspension of these activities.
On the other hand, on a very critical tone, the Council "expressed serious concern that a number of questions in relation to Iran's nuclear programme remain outstanding", since the IAEA Board of Governors stated that Iran has not provided a "complete and final picture of Iran's past and present nuclear programme".
The Council will continue to "follow the situation closely" (see below on the subject of demonstrations by Iranian opponents).