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UN Atomic Agency Opens Meeting on Iran
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1683E6E:A6F02AD83191E160B7885EC061424B639574F7DCC14957C0 Chief inspector
Mohamed ElBaradei says Iran's refusal to cooperate with  investigation
by IAEA has left agency unable to determine whether Tehran is trying
to develop nuclear weapons





Mohamed ElBaradei waits for the start of the International Atomic
Energy Agency's (IAEA) board of governors meeting, 5 Mar 2007The chief
U.N. nuclear inspector says Iran's refusal to cooperate with an
investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency has left the
agency unable to determine whether Tehran is trying to develop nuclear
weapons.

In opening remarks Monday at a meeting of the 35-nation board of the
IAEA, agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said unless Tehran decides to
cooperate with the IAEA, the international community will continue to
express concern.

Key members of the U.N. nuclear agency in Vienna are expected this
week to approve cuts of more than 20 technical aid projects to Iran,
as Tehran defies U.N. demands to suspend its sensitive nuclear work.

Meanwhile, six world powers are still trying to reach consensus on
widening sanctions on Iran for its failure to comply with a February
21 U.N. Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment.

The United States said it had expected a resolution to be finalized
during a Saturday conference call with representatives of Britain,
France, Russia, China and Germany, but the talks failed to produce an
agreement.

A State Department spokesman says the six nation talks on the Iran
resolution will continue at the United Nations in New York.

Diplomats say the six powers are considering a travel ban on Iranian
nuclear officials and a gradual tightening of sanctions imposed by the
Security Council in December.

The United States and its Western allies suspect Iran is working to
develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.




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