Major world powers have agreed on far-reaching proposals to deal with the crisis over Iran's nuclear program, Britain's Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said on Thursday.
Updated at 2.12 am
VIENNA: Major world powers on Thursday offered to suspend United Nations Security Council action against Iran if it agrees to halt uranium enrichment work, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told reporters.
“We have agreed a set of far-reaching proposals as a basis for discussions with Iran,” she said after a meeting of the powers in Vienna.
“We believe that they offer Iran the chance to reach a negotiated agreement based on cooperation.
“We are prepared to resume negotiations should Iran resume suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities as required by the IAEA, and we would also suspend action in the Security Council.
“We have also agreed that if Iran decides not to engage in negotiation, further steps would have to be taken in the Security Council.”
The powers struck what a senior US official called a substantial agreement on the package for Iran to halt sensitive nuclear fuel work as well as penalties if it did not.
Earlier, Iran rejected a US condition for direct talks on its nuclear programme, which the West fears includes plans to build atomic weapons.
Iran says its nuclear programme is solely for power generation.
The accord was reached at a Vienna meeting of foreign ministers from the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- as well as Germany and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
In Washington, the US official said there was agreement with Germany, France and Britain over the package of carrots and sticks and that Russia and China -- in the past reluctant to support punitive measures -- appeared to be on board.
“We have substantial agreement with the Russians and the Chinese. We are agreed certainly on the need for moving forward in the (UN) Security Council if Iran doesn't respond to the offer,” said the official.
Officials at the Vienna meeting said no details would be issued before the package was presented to Iran, which has said its programme to enrich uranium -- a key ingredient in civilian nuclear power plants and atomic bombs -- was non-negotiable.
US President George W Bush warned Iran that if it refused to stop enrichment, a process that can yield bomb-grade material, its case would go to the Security Council.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}