ＥＥＥ会議（イランの核・原子力問題）.......................................................................2003.8.12
北朝鮮と並んで、イランの核（原子力）問題も引き続き国際的に重要な懸案となっています。どうも日本には米国系メディアのニューズばかりが入ってきますが、時にはイラン自身の言い分も聞いてみるべきでしょう。 次にご紹介するのは、イラン国営通信社（ＩＲＮＡ）の報道で、内容は読まなくても見当がつくようなものですが、要するにイランは、国際的なプレッシャーの下で「追加議定書」を批准させられるのはいやだと言っているわけです。今後どうやってイランの面子が立つよな形で批准させるか、また、批准と引き換えに原子力平和利用の権利（ＮＰＴ第4条）を認めてやるかが問題で、米国はじめ関係国はこの点にもっと知恵を絞るべきだと思います。北朝鮮問題もそうですが、「核と原子力」の兼ね合いがポイントで、もっと原子力の専門家が積極的に発言すべきでしょう。現状では特に米国は核問題の専門家がでしゃばり過ぎているような気がします。日本も、アザデガン油田開発問題だけでなく、イランの核（原子力発電）問題の解決にどう関わって行くべきか、もっと真剣な検討が必要なのではないでしょうか？
--KK
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Iran rejects pressures to sign additional protocol to NPT
Tehran, Aug 11, IRNA -- Iran on Monday brushed aside pressures on
Tehran to sign an additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT), saying the country would take its national interests into
account first to make a decision.
"No matter whether the pressures are increased or decreased, the
Islamic Republic of Iran will make a decision on the basis of its
national interests as well as its principles and values with realism
and wisdom," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said.
The official, talking to reporters in his weekly briefing,
stressed that "westerners must have in mind that we have legitimate
worries, which have to be addressed".
Asefi described the results of discussions between a legal team of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts and Iranian
officials here last week as "helpful".
"The session was helpful, in which the two sides put forward their
views, but revealing details about the session, given its nature, is
not necessary," he said.
"In the discussions, the two sides became familiar with each
other's views. We too clearly announced our points of vantage," he
added.
Asefi reiterated that Iran's nuclear energy programs are peaceful
and that Tehran is not intending to use the nuclear energy technology
for "political ends".
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly clarified at the
highest official level what its view about nuclear arms is and
President (Mohammad Khatami) explicitly announced last week that we
have a religious ban on the use of nuclear weapons."
The legal IAEA team arrived in Tehran last Monday to discuss the
technical details of the Additional Protocol to NPT, including
existing 'ambiguities' which Iran says must be removed before the
country decides on signing it.
The protocol could allow UN inspectors to visit Iran's nuclear
facilities at short notice.
Iranian officials have said they look positively at the protocol,
but have conditioned the signing on the lifting of sanctions by
nuclear powers which have prevented Tehran from acquiring the know-how
for peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said last week that the
issue of signing the protocol "will be examined in the government and
the final decision in this regard will be made by Supreme National
Security Council after Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei)'s
approval".
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi has said Iran would decide on
joining the protocol after hearing explanations given by the IAEA team
about Tehran's concerns.
The legal experts' visit will be followed by that of a technical
team to Iran soon to discuss Tehran's cooperation with the energy
watchdog and compile a report for presentation to a meeting of IAEA's
Board of Governors in Vienna in September.
Thirty-five members of the board are due to make a decision on
Iran's nuclear energy activities after hearing IAEA chief Mohamed
ElBaradei's report.
The board called on the Islamic Republic in its June 9 meeting to
sign the Additional Protocol to NPT.
BH/211
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