Brussels, 11/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - EU3 foreign ministers (France, Germany and the UK) and EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, are meeting in Berlin on 12 January to decide on measures following Iran's re-opening of three nuclear research facilities on Tuesday, removing United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals. The Berlin meeting will look at whether there is political room for manoeuvre for talks between the EU and Iran or whether the issue would have to be referred to the United Nations Security Council. The most likely option at this stage seems to be referral to the Security Council. Iran's step towards resuming its nuclear activities breaks a 'red line' that the EU has been insisting on ever since it reached a deal with Iran in Paris in November 2004 under which Teheran put the core activities of its nuclear programme on hold pending talks. Sources close to Javier Solana said that by starting research again on uranium enrichment, Iran has violated the pledges it made under the Paris Agreement. As a consequence, Iran might be sent to the Security Council. European diplomats stressed that the option was clearly on the table for the Berlin talks. In London, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw even asserted that transfer of the dossier to the UN Security Council would be a top priority during discussions. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Wednesday that the measure was “likely”. If consensus is reached on the matter, the EU-3 will request that an extraordinary meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors be held in about two weeks, as the final decision on whether the dossier will be transferred to New York or not is up to the IAEA. It was agreed with Washington that, after their meeting on Thursday, the EU-3 ministers will inform US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of the results of their discussion by telephone.
The resumption of talks between the EU-3 and Iran, initially scheduled for 18 January in Vienna, has not yet been cancelled and it seems very likely that it will take place.