Baradei warns on "work plan"

LONDON, Oct 3 (KUNA) -- Iran is being warned by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it must fully answer key questions about its uranium enrichment programme before the end of the year if it is to avoid new sanctions.
As he enters critical talks with Tehran on its nuclear programme, Mohamed Baradei, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told the Financial Times newspaper Wednesday he expected Iran to clear up suspicions over its acquisition of advanced centrifuges before he reports to the IAEA governing board on November 22.
Baradei said that if Iran failed to deliver on a pledge to provide those answers it would "backfire in their face." "Ive told the Iranians This is your litmus test. You committed yourself to come clean. If you dont, nobody will be able to come to your support," he said.
Last August, Baradei agreed on a "work plan" with Iran, under which Tehran would answer key questions on its nuclear programme since the 1980s.
The move irritated the US and some European Union states, which regard the "work plan" as an opportunity for Iran to continue its programme of uranium enrichment.
However, it has been viewed with favour by Russia and China, both UN Security Council members, who believe Iran must be given a chance to show good faith.
Baradei said the two key issues requiring clarification in the next few weeks were the extent of Irans research and development capability with regard to enrichment; and its capacity for weaponisation of nuclear materials.
"I would hope that by November we would have resolved these two issues but I cant say how far we will go. The key is to show that Iran is acting with us in good faith, with good intentions," he told the main business daily in Europe.
Regarding the file on Irans potential capacity to develop advanced centrifuges, ElBaradei said "I hope it will be closed. I expect it to be closed. We have made it clear to Iran that it ought to be closed." He defended his decision on the "work plan," saying US suspicions that he was acting beyond his brief were "absolutely bonkers (mad)." "I was frankly very surprised and concerned that most of the media was hoodwinked into repeating a myth that this was something we had done on our own, some kind of do it yourself diplomacy," he added.
Baradei made clear that if Iran came clean on its programme, the question of whether it is allowed to go on enriching uranium would be a political matter outside his remit that only the international community could judge. (end) he.rk KUNA 031258 Oct 07NNNN