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American Morning
IAEA Demands More Transparency from Iran on Nuclear Programs
Aired June 19, 2003 - 08:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: More now on Iran's nuclear capabilities. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency is reporting that the country has sophisticated nuclear facilities.
From Vienna, we're joined on the phone now by IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky.
Mr. Gwozdecky, thanks for joining us.
MARK GWOZDECKY, IAEA SPOKESMAN: My pleasure.
KAGAN: As the IAEA meets in Vienna, what is the number one concern considering Iran and potential nuclear weapons?
GWOZDECKY: Well, our board of governors, which comprises 35 countries, has just concluded its discussion of Iran. And the chairman issued a statement which he said reflected the broad sense of the countries in the room.
And that statement expressed full support for the IAEA's ongoing inspection efforts in Iran. It shared the concern of our director general about Iran's failures to report certain material and facilities and activities, called on Iran to rectify the situation, and called on Iran, particularly, to grant all the cooperation that we need to finish our work, including allowing our inspectors to do environmental sampling, and asking that Iran not introduce nuclear material at its pilot enrichment plant.
KAGAN: Meanwhile, Mr. Gwozdecky, it sounds like the Iranians are almost being dismissive of these plans, saying that they're just being held to a political double standard, pointing out that the board that's meeting hasn't even come to a unanimous consensus. It's only some countries on the board that want to see these things happen.
GWOZDECKY: Well, Iran at the board also reaffirmed their commitment to full transparency and cooperation, and we expect that as the weeks unfold, we're going to get that kind of cooperation that allows our inspectors to get to the bottom of the questions that remain open.
So we've got a lot of work to do in the next couple of months and we expect to be reporting back hopefully with a lot more information, a lot more clarity in September, when the board is expected to meet again.
KAGAN: Western diplomats are asking Mr. ElBaradei to keep the pressure on Iran. This final report that you're talking about is due mid-September, but President Bush is asking that actually be moved up to midsummer.
Any chance that that would be possible?
GWOZDECKY: Well, I think the board has spoken fairly clearly today in this statement, and it does send the fairly loud and clear message to Iran that it should, it should extend to our people the cooperation they need. So, I think they've heard the message. I think we're going to move forward. And as I mentioned, expect to get the kind of access and the cooperation that we're going to need.
Where and when the board meets again is really up to the board members. We'll be prepared to have a meeting and report to them whenever they decide to do that.
KAGAN: Mark Gwozdecky with the IAEA, thank you for your time from Vienna.
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Aired June 19, 2003 - 08:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: More now on Iran's nuclear capabilities. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency is reporting that the country has sophisticated nuclear facilities.
From Vienna, we're joined on the phone now by IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky.
Mr. Gwozdecky, thanks for joining us.
MARK GWOZDECKY, IAEA SPOKESMAN: My pleasure.
KAGAN: As the IAEA meets in Vienna, what is the number one concern considering Iran and potential nuclear weapons?
GWOZDECKY: Well, our board of governors, which comprises 35 countries, has just concluded its discussion of Iran. And the chairman issued a statement which he said reflected the broad sense of the countries in the room.
And that statement expressed full support for the IAEA's ongoing inspection efforts in Iran. It shared the concern of our director general about Iran's failures to report certain material and facilities and activities, called on Iran to rectify the situation, and called on Iran, particularly, to grant all the cooperation that we need to finish our work, including allowing our inspectors to do environmental sampling, and asking that Iran not introduce nuclear material at its pilot enrichment plant.
KAGAN: Meanwhile, Mr. Gwozdecky, it sounds like the Iranians are almost being dismissive of these plans, saying that they're just being held to a political double standard, pointing out that the board that's meeting hasn't even come to a unanimous consensus. It's only some countries on the board that want to see these things happen.
GWOZDECKY: Well, Iran at the board also reaffirmed their commitment to full transparency and cooperation, and we expect that as the weeks unfold, we're going to get that kind of cooperation that allows our inspectors to get to the bottom of the questions that remain open.
So we've got a lot of work to do in the next couple of months and we expect to be reporting back hopefully with a lot more information, a lot more clarity in September, when the board is expected to meet again.
KAGAN: Western diplomats are asking Mr. ElBaradei to keep the pressure on Iran. This final report that you're talking about is due mid-September, but President Bush is asking that actually be moved up to midsummer.
Any chance that that would be possible?
GWOZDECKY: Well, I think the board has spoken fairly clearly today in this statement, and it does send the fairly loud and clear message to Iran that it should, it should extend to our people the cooperation they need. So, I think they've heard the message. I think we're going to move forward. And as I mentioned, expect to get the kind of access and the cooperation that we're going to need.
Where and when the board meets again is really up to the board members. We'll be prepared to have a meeting and report to them whenever they decide to do that.
KAGAN: Mark Gwozdecky with the IAEA, thank you for your time from Vienna.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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