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New Zealand worried about nuclear Iran, says minister

Other News Materials 13 March 2008 08:49 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa ) - The New Zealand government renewed calls on Iran Thursday to co-operate with the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over its nuclear programme.

Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Goff said, "It is disappointing that Iran's nuclear programme is still the subject of international concern more than five years after it was discovered to have undertaken undeclared nuclear activities for almost two decades."

He said New Zealand would implement the UN Security Council's third round of sanctions against Iran passed in New York last week.

Goff welcomed IAEA reports of an increased level of engagement and co-operation with Iran in recent months and noted that it had resolved a number of outstanding issues.

"But there is still more work to be done," he said. "I share the IAEA director general's serious concern over nuclear studies that Iran may have undertaken with a military dimension. This needs to be addressed."

Goff noted that the director general said he needed a greater understanding about these studies and broader inspective powers and urged Iran to work with the IAEA to clarify the issues and allow the greatest transparency.

"It remains New Zealand's strong desire to see this matter resolved in a peaceful, diplomatic manner," he said.

"We urge Iran to take the steps required by the Security Council and the IAEA to build confidence about the nature of its past and present nuclear activities."

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