By Michelle Fitzpatrick - 15th May 2006
The EU has offered to help Iran with the development of a safe civil nuclear programme in a bid to defuse an international confrontation with Tehran.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has offered to share sophisticated civilian atomic technology with Iran if it halts its uranium enrichment programme.
Solana has vowed that the EU will come up with "generous and bold" incentives and restrictions to encourage Iran to end activities that might produce nuclear weapons.
In a draft statement the EU suggests it could help Tehran to develop a “safe, sustainable and proliferation-proof civilian nuclear programme”.
Other measures could include financial aid and defence assistance but all incentives would be conditional on Tehran accepting international oversight of its nuclear activities.
Speaking at a Monday EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the situation at present was “hopeful, yet decisive”.
What was important now, was for Iranian leaders to understand “that the path of un-cooperation would be one of self-isolation for the country,” he said.
If Tehran were to accept the proposals, Steinmeier said it could be the beginning of a new phase of international cooperation.
But he added that work on a UN security resolution should continue.
It is expected that the EU, China, Russia and the US will reach an agreement on the offer by Friday.
China has already declared its support for the EU’s proposals.
However, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned he would reject any EU effort that called for a halt to Iran's uranium enrichment programme.
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