Nonaligned Nations Back Iran
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Courtesy Of: The New York Times
By: The Associated Press
Published: June 13, 2006

Vienna, Austria (AP)--Western countries pushed Tuesday for broad support on the need for Iran to freeze uranium enrichment but nonaligned countries backed Tehran, saying all countries have the right to pursue a nuclear program for civilian use.

A statement drawn up by the 16-nation nonaligned bloc at the board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency,

"Reaffirmed the basic inalienable right of all countries to develop, produce and use atomic energy for peaceful purposes, without any discrimination and in conformity with their respective legal obligations."

The statement--made available to the Associated Press ahead of delivery when Iran comes up on the agenda later in the week--was mostly a repitition of a communique issued last month at a meeting in Malaysia of the nonaligned bloc's foreign ministers.

...The statement from the nonaligned bloc warned that "Any attack or threat of attack against peaceful nuclear facilities--constitutes a grave violation of international law."

The U.S. and its allies were focusing on key nations with clout among nonaligned countries such as Brazil, India and Argentina, urging them to put pressure on Iran in individual statements to accept an offer for talks on its nuclear program, diplomats said.

...The Western push suffered a setback Monday with the revelations that China and Russia were not prepared to Join America and its European allies in a unified message insisting that Tehran halt enrichment.

There reluctance reflected lingering differences along East-West lines among the six world powers...

...Still, other diplomats spoke of more potential divisions. China, Russia and possibly Germany might push to allow Iran some tightly controlled and small-scale enrichment rather than see talks founder, they said.

Russia and China also might balk at enforcing selective U.N. sanctions on Iranian officials and activities.

Source:
http://nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iran-Nuclear.html?_r=1&oref=slogin