Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani, center, is showh before the 3rd round of Russian-Iranian talks devoted to Moscow's proposal for joint uranium enrichment in Russian territory. The talks took place in Golden Ring hotel in Moscow.
Photo: Alexey Kudenko
|
 |
Iran Turns to France for Uranium Enrichment
Iran resumed talks on its nuclear issue with the European Union yesterday. Iran suddenly offered to create joint ventures for uranium enrichment with France. This sudden offer could have put an end to Russia’s idea of creating “an international center for uranium enrichment”. However, Foreign Ministry of France rejected Iran’s offer right away. Iran has to reach agreement with the whole European Union.
EU foreign policy commissar Javier Solana announced in Finland, where he attended the meeting between EU ministers of defense, that talks between the EU and Iran’s authorities on the nuclear issue resumed. Solana had talked to chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on the phone.
Deputy director of Iran’s atomic energy agency Mohammad Saidi, in his interview to France Info radio, announced that Iran offered to France to control uranium enrichment on Iran’s territory by creating joint ventures between Iranian state companies and French operators of atomic market -- Eurodif and Areva.
Solana did not decline Iran’s offer yesterday. He said the offer is interesting, and should be considered. However, later that day, French Foreign Ministry rejected the idea of direct talks with Iran, saying that Iran should reach agreement with the EU, and not France only, -- that is with Solana.
Iran’s offer was made while Igor Ivanov, secretary of the Security Council of Russia, was on a visit to Tehran where he met with Larijani. Mohammad Saidi’s declaration might be regarded as the sign that Russia-Iran talks failed. Back in May 2006, Russia suggested creating international uranium enrichment joint ventures on its territory. Iran unofficially declined Russia’s offer, insisting that joint ventures should be enriching uranium on Iran’s territory.
It is quite likely the idea of joint ventures with European companies will be further developed. Iranian authorities control Eurodif of the uranium enrichment European consortium. Areva owns the controlling stock of Eurodif, and 11 percent of its shares belongs to franco-iranian company Sofidif. The creation of a joint venture might be arranged as the restructuring of relations between Iran, Sofidif, Eurodif, and Areva. Iran had owned 25 percent of Eurodif before 1979. Besides, Iran purchased 10 percent of URENCO in 1975, but this share was confiscated from Iranian companies by a court ruling.
French, Spanish, and Belgian companies are shareholders of Areva and Eurodif as well. Areva and Eurodif officially announced yesterday they are not in talks with Iran. As to Javier Solana, he intends to continue his discussion with Ali Larijani today.
Dmitry Butrin, Elena Kornysheva
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 04, 2006
|
|
|
